The Resonance of Ecofeminism in Modern Urdu Short Stories — A Critical Study

Abstract

Modern Urdu fiction, in its intellectual and aesthetic orientation, incorporates themes that reveal the interrelation between human existence, ecological balance, social structures, and gender sensitivity. Within this framework, ecofeminism functions as a significant theoretical paradigm, illuminating the shared dimensions of oppression, exploitation, and structural domination experienced simultaneously by women and nature. The objective of this study is to analyze how contemporary Urdu short fiction embodies the foundational concepts of ecofeminism—such as patriarchal power dynamics, environmental degradation, the symbolic positioning of women, and the metaphorical significance of nature—within its narrative strategies, characterization, and thematic compositions. Through analytical and comparative close reading methods, the study demonstrates that ecological crises and gender inequalities are not merely scientific or sociological issues; rather, they constitute integral elements of literary discourse that contribute to the articulation of social justice, human–environment interdependence, and resistant consciousness. The findings reveal that modern Urdu fiction not only engages meaningfully with ecofeminist thought, but also transforms it into a potent mode of literary resistance aligned with struggles for environmental and gender justice.