Policrisis: How Can Feminist Thought Illuminate Paths through Complexity?

If it is true that the contemporary Anthropocene scenarios are characterized by interconnected global crises (economic, climatic, health/pandemic, and geopolitical) that interact in such a way that the whole is more oppressive than the sum of its parts (Tooze 2021), we must consider the implications of potential actors and their various paths through complexity. How do they activate the "fundamental connection between all living beings" theorized by Teilhard de Chardin? Furthermore, in a more radical sense, we must explore the extent to which this connection can alter the course of events in favor of a multispecies alliance (Haraway 2019), thereby transcending the anthropocentrism that has led the planet to experience multiple points of no return.

Policrisis supports and exponentially amplifies, alongside conflicts and divisions, discrimination and violence against women—a structural phenomenon within society that adapts to modernity, remaining a legacy of ancient patriarchal heritage that neither struggles nor norms have fully eradicated. This unprecedented chain of crises, exacerbated by "headless" technological progress, presents an unmanageable complexity that intensifies violence against women, despite the resolutions of international bodies and the good intentions of various agendas.

A number of studies have already documented the impact of each crises on the lives and bodies of women, frequently resulting in discrimination. This was notably observed during the pandemic. While these areas of focus are of significant importance, particularly in the context of disasters, resource scarcity, environmental crises, global warming, and wartime sexual violence, Morin (2017) notes that "the advancement of knowledge is unable to conceive the complexity of reality". Therefore, although these contributions are crucial, it is essential to conduct a holistic, feminist, and intersectional analysis to identify the impact of policrisis on women, to understand and cope with its complexity, and to explore potential solutions.