Applying a feminist and environmentalist approach to the investigation of how the changing global economy affects rural women, this book focuses on land ownership and use, cropping systems, and women's work with animals in highly industrialized as well as developing countries. Drawing on historical and contemporary research, rural women's writings, and in-depth interviews, the book shows how environmental degradation results from economic and development practices that disadvantage rural women. The book also examines the strategies women use for resistance and survival in the face of these trends. Offering a range of examples from different countries, this book will appeal to readers interested in commonalities and differences in women's knowledge of and interactions with the natural environment.