Masculinity and Caring for Nature...and Reviewing Past Episodes - with Dr Cassie Pedersen

Masculinity is playing a significant yet under-discussed role in harms against animals and the environment. From hunting, to meat-eating, to driving fast cars, to burning fossil fuels, ‘man’s’ domination of nature is closely connected to gender inequality and masculine norms. In this 50th episode special, we discuss with Dr Cassie Pedersen why we urgently need to break down stereotypes suggesting that it is ‘feminine’ to care for nature, and help boys and men to embrace our interdependence with the world around us. We ask: Do environmental and animal activism challenge gender norms? What can each of us do in our own everyday lives? And how is ecofeminism relevant to men and boys? This is based on a new paper by Cassie and Stephen in the Journal of Criminology, ‘From men's violence to an ethic of care: Ecofeminist contributions to green criminology’.

Then, in part two, with Cassie’s help, we review the first 50 episodes of Now and Men. What have been our highlights so far? What directions should the podcast take in the future? And how do we face up to the increasingly authoritarian and destructive times we are living in? Join us in reflecting on the personal and political issues the podcast has explored over the last 3+ years, and what it has taught us about masculinity and allyship today.

Dr Cassie Pedersen is a Lecturer in Criminology and Criminal Justice at Federation University (Australia). Her background is in philosophy, with her PhD being on the theory of trauma, and her current work focuses predominantly on green criminology and harms against non-human animals.

• Read the paper: https://doi.org/10.1177/26338076241293145
• A recent piece by Stephen and Cassie, ‘It’s time to recognise the role masculinity is playing in the climate crisis’: https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/its-time-to-recognise-the-role-masculinity-is-playing-in-the-climate-crisis
• Cassie’s profile: https://federation.edu.au/institutes-and-schools/ieac/staff-profiles/staf-profiles/cassie-pedersen
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassie-pedersen-a30406153/

Episode timeline

• Introduction
• Men’s violence and environmental destruction (01:46-05:01)
• Green criminology and ecofeminism explained (05:01-07:28)
• The relationship between masculinity and violence against animals (07:28-10:47)
• Why an ethic of care offers an alternative (10:47-14:16)
• The impact of ecofeminism on Cassie and Stephen (14:16-19:51)
• Broadening what we mean by activism (19:51-25:19)
• The gendered dynamics of environmentalism (25:19-31:52)
• Break
• Standout episodes of Now and Men (31:57-36:56)
• The most significant issues we have and should cover (36:56-44:28)
• Bizarre and unusual podcast experiences (44:28-48:40)
• Gender, podcasting, and allyship (48:40-52:26)
• Episodes we’ve particularly enjoyed (52:26-54:07)
• What we’ve learned (54:07-56:51)
• Inspiring figures of 2024, and messages to take away (56:51-01:02:59)
• End

More info

• Petra Kelly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Petra_Kelly
• Carol Adams: https://caroljadams.com
• Liz Kelly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liz_Kelly
• ‘Hottest year on record sent planet past 1.5C of heating for first time in 2024’: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/10/world-temperature-in-2024-exceeded-15c-for-first-time
• ‘World’s richest use up their fair share of 2025 carbon budget in 10 days’: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jan/10/worlds-richest-use-up-their-fair-share-of-2025-carbon-budget-in-10-days
• Rupert Read: https://rupertread.net
• Climate Majority Project: https://climatemajorityproject.com
• Raewyn Connell, ‘A whole new world: Remaking masculinity in the context of the environmental movement’: https://doi.org/10.1177/089124390004004003
• Jimmy Carter Ted Talk: https://youtu.be/wfW3aZCFfLA?feature=shared
• Jackson Katz, ‘Jimmy Carter was one of the world’s leading anti-sexist men’: https://jacksonkatz.substack.com/p/jimmy-carter-was-one-of-the-worlds
• ‘Nine apologises for using digitally altered image of Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell’: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-01-30/victorian-mp-georgie-purcell-altered-image/103403664