Beyond the Binary: Why Queer Ecofeminism is the Lens We Need for the Climate Polycrisis
We live in an era of cascading crises. From the scorching heat of unprecedented wildfires and the devastation of record floods to the quiet violence of ecological collapse and the relentless march of mass extinctions, the world as we know it is fundamentally destabilized. For researchers, these aren't just headlines; they're the raw data points of our work. For activists, they are the urgent, existential threats that define our struggle. And for both, there is a growing, unsettling question: are our dominant paradigms, the very frameworks we've been taught to rely on, equipped to meet this moment?
The short, painful answer is no.
Our established ways of knowing, usually rooted in a scientific method that seeks to dissect and compartmentalize, or an activism that fights single battles in isolation, are failing to grasp the interconnected nature of our predicament. We continue to see the climate crisis as a separate, environmental problem. We talk about social justice as distinct from ecological health. We draw lines between the "natural" world and the "human" world, as if we are not one. But the polycrisis—the convergence of climate, social, and economic collapse—has shown us that these divisions are false and dangerous. The same systems that perpetuate ecological violence are the ones that uphold gendered, racialized, and colonial hierarchies. To heal the Earth, we must heal our communities, and to heal our communities, we must dismantle the very idea that they can be separated.
This is the central insight of Queer Ecofeminism, a discipline that refuses to compartmentalize. It's a radical lens for a radical moment. It's not just a new theory to be debated in academic journals; it's a call to action for anyone who feels that our current tools are insufficient. It is a new way of seeing, and more importantly, a new way of doing. This is why I have created the online course, "Queer Ecofeminism and the Climate Polycrisis: Introduction and Critical Frameworks," a space for researchers and activists to collectively explore these ideas and, together, build a more robust, compassionate, and effective way forward.
The Cracks in Our Foundation: Why Our Current Thinking Isn't Enough
For generations, both scientific inquiry and political action have been structured around a set of foundational binaries. We've been taught to see the world as a series of dualisms: human vs. non-human, male vs. female, natural vs. cultural, mind vs. body, subject vs. object. While these dichotomies have enabled certain forms of progress, they have also served as the bedrock of systems of domination. The very idea that "nature" is something separate from us allows us to treat it as a resource to be extracted, exploited, and discarded. The belief that some humans (think of cis-hetero, white, able bodied, males from wealthier nations) are a distinct and superior category has justified the oppression of women*, Indigenous communities, racialized people, and LGBTQIA2S+ people who are often dehumanized or cast as being "unnatural".
The question is, who defines the "natural"?
As researchers, we've seen how this plays out in our work. We may study the dynamics of a forest ecosystem, but feel disconnected from the activist fighting to protect it. We might analyze data on global temperature rise, but struggle to articulate how that data connects to the lived experiences of marginalized communities facing environmental racism. Our research, though vital, can become siloed and disembodied. We publish, we present, and we debate, but the frameworks we use often reinforce the very divisions that contribute to the problem.
For activists, the challenge is similar. We may fight valiantly to protect a specific watershed, to protest a new pipeline, or to advocate for a specific climate policy. But what if the very language we use—the fight for "the environment"—reinforces the idea that it's a separate entity from the people who live in it? What if the struggle for gender and racial equality is not just a parallel fight, but fundamentally the same fight as the struggle for ecological survival? When we fail to see these connections, we allow the systems of power that exploit one to continue exploiting the other. We are left feeling overwhelmed and fragmented, fighting a thousand separate battles when what we truly need is a unified, holistic vision.
This is not a criticism of the work we have done, but an invitation to push our thinking further. This course is built on the premise that to solve a problem as entangled as the polycrisis, we need a discipline that is just as entangled.
A new map for a shifting landscape: What is Queer Ecofeminism?
Queer Ecofeminism is not simply an "add-on" to ecofeminism; it is a radical, inclusive, intersectional reimagining. It takes the foundational critiques of patriarchy and environmental exploitation and amplifies them with the insights of queer theory, which challenges the very nature of norms, categories, essentialisms, and binaries. It argues that the oppression of racial, gender, and sexual minorities, the exploitation of women, the subjugation of Indigenous peoples, and the domination of the Earth are all manifestations of the same logic: a logic of power, control, and categorization.
At its heart, this course will help you understand that a "queer" approach to the climate crisis is not just about including LGBTQIA2S+ voices (though that is essential!). It's about approaching the crisis itself in a way that is non-normative, fluid, and relational. We will ask:
- How can we see the Earth not as a machine to be managed, but as a dynamic, intimate network of kinship and care?
- What happens when we think of human and non-human beings not as separate categories, but as participants in a shared, fluid ecology?
- How do non-normative identities and relationalities offer us new tools to think through climate disasters, displacement, and ecosystem collapse?
The course will guide you through this process with foundational concepts and cutting-edge scholarship. We will explore how non-normative ways of being, from queer social structures to trans-ecological relations, provide radical alternatives to the dominating frameworks of colonial-capitalist ecologies.
This isn't about replacing one set of dogmas with another; it's about developing a practice of constant inquiry and compassionate imagination. It's about moving from a mindset of domination and destruction to one of kinship and care.
From theory to praxis: The power of collaborative action
This course is designed for people who don't just want to think differently, but want to do differently. It is built around the idea that knowledge is not something to be passively received, but something to be collaboratively created. We'll blend theoretical readings with hands-on, practice-based methodologies that are designed to help you transform your work.
You'll participate in creative exercises, mapping, and speculative writing that will challenge you to "queer" your own research or activism. What would your research on hydrology look like if you centered the voices and knowledge of local, Indigenous communities? What would your climate campaign look like if it was guided by a principle of relational care rather than just political leverage? We'll provide a supportive space for peer-to-peer feedback, allowing you to prototype new ideas and receive constructive criticism from a close-knit community of like-minded people.
By the end of the course, you will not just have a new set of theories; you will have tangible, practical outcomes to carry forward. You will draft a project brief, create a short presentation, and write a critical reflection essay that integrates your work with feminist, queer, and ecological literature (with the option to publish it as part of a special blog series of The Ecofeminist Institute.
Why This Course, and Why Now?

The moment of crisis is also the moment of possibility. The old ways are failing, and the urgency of our predicament demands a new kind of thinking and a new kind of action. This course, led by Dr. Asmae Ourkiya, is an answer to that call. It's a chance to step back from the daily grind and re-center your work within a holistic, compassionate, and powerful framework.
With a limit of just 15 participants, this course offers an intimate and collaborative environment that is rare in today’s fragmented world. It’s an invitation to connect with fellow researchers, academics, and activists who are all grappling with the same questions, and to forge the kinds of relationships that can sustain us through the difficult work ahead.
The climate crisis is a polycrisis, and to solve it, we need a pluriversal approach. This course is your first step toward that future.
Enrollment Details:
Course Fee: €300
Dates: Sundays, January 11, 18, and 25, 2026 from 14:00 to 17:00 CET
Format: Live on Zoom (recordings provided)
Application Deadline: October 31, 2025, or as soon as all spots are filled.
To reserve your spot and become part of this vital community, please complete the enrollment form. We look forward to welcoming you to the course.