Vandana Shiva

Vandana Shiva (Hindi: वन्दना शिवा; b. November 5, 1952, Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand, India), is a physicist, environmental activist and author. Shiva, currently based in Delhi, is author of over 300 papers in leading scientific and technical journals.

Shiva participated in the nonviolent Chipko movement during the 1970s. The movement, whose main participants were women, adopted the tactic of hugging trees to prevent their felling. She is one of the leaders of the International Forum on Globalization, (along with Jerry Mander, Edward Goldsmith, Ralph Nader, Jeremy Rifkin, et al.), and a figure of the global solidarity movement known as the alter-globalization movement. She has argued for the wisdom of many traditional practices, as is evident from her interview in the book "Vedic Ecology" (by Ranchor Prime) that draws upon India's Vedic heritage.

Early life and education

Shiva was born in the valley of Dehradun, to a father who was the conservator of forests and a farmer mother with a love for nature. She was educated at St Mary's School in Nainital, and at the Convent of Jesus and Mary, Dehradun. [cite web | title = Seeds of Self-Reliance | url = http://www.time.com/time/2002/greencentury/heroes/index_shiva.html | accessdate = March 2 | accessyear = 2007] Shiva was trained as a physicist and received her Ph.D. in physics at the University of Western Ontario in 1978. Her thesis was titled "Hidden Variables and Non-locality in Quantum Theory" [ [http://amicus.collectionscanada.ca/s4-bin/Main/ItemDisplay?l=0&l_ef_l=-1&id=128534.1506233&v=1&lvl=1&coll=18&rt=1&itm=3151438&rsn=S_WWWzaaa3SWAn&all=1&dt=NW+|shiva|&spi=-&rp=1&vo=1 Theses Canada record] ] She later went on to interdisciplinary research in science, technology and environmental policy, at the Indian Institute of Science and the Indian Institute of Management in Bangalore.

Career

Shiva has fought for changes in the practice and paradigms of agriculture and food. Intellectual property rights, biodiversity, biotechnology, bioethics, genetic engineering are among the fields where Shiva has contributed intellectually and through activist campaigns. She has assisted grassroots organizations of the Green movement in Africa, Asia, Latin America, Ireland, Switzerland and Austria with campaigns against genetic engineering.In 1982, she founded the Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology, which led to the creation of Navdanya. Her book, "Staying Alive" helped redefine perceptions of third world women.Shiva has also served as an adviser to governments in India and abroad as well as non governmental organisations, including the International Forum on Globalisation, the Women's Environment & Development Organization and the Third World Network.

Vandana Shiva participated in the Stock Exchange of Visions project in 2007.

Film

Shiva stars in the feature documentary by Sam Bozzo.

Shiva is featured in Irena Salina's documentary that was in competition at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival.

She is featured in the documentary "The Corporation" protesting against large corporations as a seed activist, and she is also featured in the documentary

Recently, she has been featured in the documentary "The world according to Monsanto", a film made by a French independent journalist Marie-Monique Robin. The documentary showcases the disastrous results of genetically modified organisms (GMO).

Recognition

In 1993, Shiva received the Right Livelihood Award (also known as the "Alternative Nobel Prize") "...For placing women and ecology at the heart of modern development discourse." [http://www.rightlivelihood.se/recip1993_3.html] . Other awards she has received include the Global 500 Award of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) in 1993 [http://www.global500.org/ViewLaureate.asp?ID=191] , and the Earth Day International Award of the United Nations (UN) for her dedicated commitment to the preservation of the planet as demonstrated by her actions, leadership and by setting an example for the rest of the world.

Additional awards include:

* 1993: Order of the Golden Ark, by his Royal Highness Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands for outstanding services to conservation and ecology;VIDA SANA International Award, Spain, for her contribution to Ecology and Food Security
* 1995, "Pride of the Doon" Award from Doon Citizen Council, Dehra Dun, India, in recognition of distinguished contributions to the region
* 1997, The Golden Plant Award (International Award of Ecology), Denmark, for the remarkable contribution for Ecology and Environment; Alfonso Comin Award, Barcelona, Spain, for important contribution both scientifically and personally to the ecologist and feminist movement in India
* 1998, Commemorative Medal by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn of Thailand on the occasion of the Celebration of the 18th World Food Day, organised by FAO Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Bangkok; Medal of the Presidency of the Italian Republic from the International Scientific Committee of the Pio Manzu Centre at Rimini, Italy during the XXIV Pio Manzu International Conference on "The Horizons of Hermes"
* 2000, Pellegrino Artusi Award, Italy for original contribution to reflections on relations between humans and food
* 2001, HORIZON 3000 Award of Austria in recognition to rendering useful service for defending Human Rights and Preservation of Peace and for the vision of a world wide fair development in the third millennium

Criticism

At the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg 2002, Shiva was awarded by the Liberty Institute of New Delhi, India, the "Bullshit Award for Sustaining Poverty" for, they claim, her "important contribution to sustaining poverty around the world, in her role as a mouthpiece of western eco-imperialism". Their press release on the award states, "Millions of people rely on backbreaking labor and low-intensity subsistence farming, not out of choice but out of necessity, yet Ms. Shiva claims that modern agricultural technologies are too dangerous for the poor... Farmers are choosing modern agricultural technologies out of their own free will - and for good reasons. And by so doing they are benefiting the environment. Low intensity farming not only hurts farmers, but also endangers environmental quality. Poverty and environmental degradation go hand in hand - and modern technologies alleviate poverty and enable environmental protection." Other award nominees included Greenpeace International, BioWatch, SAFeAGE, and the Third World Network. [ [http://www.libertyindia.org/events/bullshit_award_28august2002.htm Liberty Institute, India] ]

Publications

* 1981, "Social Economic and Ecological Impact of Social Forestry in Kolar", Vandana Shiva, H.C. Sharatchandra, J. Banyopadhyay, Indian Institute of Management Bangalore
* 1988, "Staying Alive: Women, Ecology and Survival in India", Zed Press, New Delhi, ISBN 0-86232-823-3
* 1991, "Ecology and the Politics of Survival: Conflicts Over Natural Resources in India", Sage Publications, Thousand Oaks, California, ISBN 0-8039-9672-1
* 1992, "The Violence of the Green Revolution: Ecological degradation and political conflict in Punjab", Zed Press, New Delhi
* 1992, "Biodiversity: Social and Ecological Perspectives" (editor); Zed Press, United Kingdom
* 1993, [http://www.dhf.uu.se/FMPro?-db=pub1.fp5&-format=%2fpublications%2fdd%2fapubdddetail.html&-lay=weblayout&-sortfield=pubyear&-sortorder=descend&-sortfield=pubissuewithoutcolon&-sortorder=descend&pubtype=development&-max=2147483647&-recid=3&-find= "Women, Ecology and Health: Rebuilding Connections"] (editor), Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation and Kali for Women, New Delhi
* 1993, "Monocultures of the Mind: Biodiversity, Biotechnology and Agriculture", Zed Press, New Delhi
* 1993, "Ecofeminism", Maria Mies and Vandana Shiva, Fernwood Publications, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, ISBN 1-895686-28-8
* 1994, "Close to Home: Women Reconnect Ecology, Health and Development Worldwide", Earthscan, London, ISBN 0-86571-264-6
* 1995, "Biopolitics" (with Ingunn Moser), Zed Books, United Kingdom
* 1997, "Biopiracy: the Plunder of Nature and Knowledge", South End Press, Cambridge Massachusetts, I ISBN 1-896357-11-3
* 1999, "Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply", South End Press, Cambridge Massachusetts, ISBN 0-89608-608-9
* 2000, "Tomorrow's Biodiversity", Thames and Hudson, London, ISBN 0-500-28239-0
* 2001, "Patents, Myths and Reality", Penguin India
* 2002, "Water Wars; Privatization, Pollution, and Profit", South End Press, Cambridge Massachusetts
* 2005, "Globalization's New Wars: Seed, Water and Life Forms" Women Unlimited, New Delhi, ISBN 81-88965-17-0
* 2005, "Breakfast of Biodiversity: the Political Ecology of Rain Forest Destruction", ISBN 0-935028-96-X
* 2005, "Earth Democracy; Justice, Sustainability, and Peace", South End Press, ISBN 0-89608-745-X
* 2007, "Manifestos on the Future of Food and Seed", editor, South End Press ISBN 978-0-89608-777-4

References

ee also

* Biopiracy
* Green revolution

External links

* http://www.vandanashiva.org Vandana Shiva's US website
* [http://realaudio.service.emory.edu/ramgen/ETHICS/food_democracy.rm Video: "Creating Food Democracy"] - 2006 Lecture at Emory University's Center for Ethics
* [http://www.alternativeradio.org/programs/SHIV011.shtml On Air chicago public radio -rebroadcast on 3-2-08]
* [http://southendpress.org/authors/17 Vandana Shiva's South End Press HomePage]
* [http://www.navdanya.org/ Navdanya - Research Foundation for Science, Technology and Ecology (RFSTE) founded by Dr. Shiva]
* [http://www.stockexchangeofvisions.org/speaker.php?id=31 Stock Exchange Of Visions: Visions of Vandana Shiva]
* [http://mulliganstew.wordpress.com/2007/03/13/the-soil-is-our-liberator-vandana-shiva/ The Soil Is Our Liberator - Vandana Shiva]
* [http://www.ecoworld.com/Home/Articles2.cfm?TID=346 Interview with Vandana Shiva by Paolo Scopacasa] , EcoWorld, March 2004
* [http://www.rightlivelihood.org/recip/v-shiva.htm Vandana Shiva biography] , Right Livelihood Award homepage
* [http://www.scottlondon.com/interviews/shiva.html In the Footsteps of Gandhi - An Interview with Vandana Shiva] by Scott London (From the Radio Series 'Insight & Outlook').
* [http://www.thirdworldtraveler.com/Vandana_Shiva/Vandana_Shiva_page.html Vandana Shiva page] , Third World Traveler.
* [http://www.mcspotlight.org/people/interviews/vandana_transcript.html Vandana Shiva on McDonald's, Exploitation and the Global Economy] , One-Off Productions, 1997.
* [http://www.workingtv.com/vandana.html Whose Freedom? Which Freedom?] , Working TV, June 15, 1998.
* [http://www.resurgence.org/contributors/cntrb-s-t.htm#shiva Resurgence Magazine: Vandana Shiva]
* Vandana Shiva. [http://www.resurgence.org/resurgence/issues/shiva210.htm Corporate Terrorism] , Resurgence Magazine, January 2002.
* Vandana Shiva. [http://www.resurgence.org/resurgence/issues/shiva219.htm Privatizing water will lead to war] , Resurgence Magazine, July 2003.
* Amy Goodman. [http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=03/11/28/0228247 An Hour With Vandana Shiva] , Democracy Now, November 27, 2003.
* Vandana Shiva. [http://www.resurgence.org/2005/shiva228.htm Gift of Food] , Resurgence Magazine, January 2005.
* Vandana Shiva. [http://www.resurgence.org/2005/shiva229.htm Celebrating Food Economies] , Resurgence Magazine, March 2005.
* [http://www.pbs.org/now/transcript/transcript_shiva.html Shiva on Coca-Cola's involvement in water depletion and contamination in India] , NOW with Bill Moyers. September 5, 2003.
* [http://www.archive.org/details/vandana-shiva-msu-04072005-mm Video of Shiva's lecture at Michigan State University] , Internet Archive, April 7, 2005.
* Vandana Shiva. [http://www.odemagazine.com/doc/28/two_myths_that_keep_the_world_poor Two Myths That Keep The World Poor] , Ode Magazine, October 2005. (accessed 2007 Oct 19)
* Listen online: [http://boomp3.com/m/05dc3a76ef5a Women, Bioengineering, Corporations]
* [http://www.mediamouse.org/video/index.php?id=47 Video Lecture at Michigan State University (04/07/05)]
* [http://www.imow.org/wpp/stories/viewStory?storyId=1236 Feature on Vandana Shiva's work on seed saving] by the International Museum of Women.

Persondata
NAME= Shiva, Vandana
ALTERNATIVE NAMES=
SHORT DESCRIPTION=physicist, ecofeminist, environmental activist and author
DATE OF BIRTH=November 5, 1952
PLACE OF BIRTH=Dehra Dun, Uttarakhand
DATE OF DEATH=
PLACE OF DEATH=