Conflicts and Forests: Women Against the Hegemony

This article explores the essential role of women in forest conflicts in Poland, framed within a hegemonic culture dominated by the State Forests and the neoliberal patriarchal state. Drawing on 48 in-depth interviews conducted between 2023 and 2024, our study examines four case studies: Rural Housewives’ Circles, the Forest and Citizens’ Movement, the She-Wolves collective, and the Border Group. These examples highlight women’s engagement in protecting forest ecosystems and human and non-human life, often in opposition to extractivist and exclusionary policies. Using feminist political ecology and Gramsci’s theory of hegemony, this research reveals how gender intersects with other inequalities in the creation of counter-hegemonic practices. The findings address a research gap, illustrating women’s leadership in resisting patriarchal and productivist forest management, whilst advocating for environmental and social justice.