Shepherdesses: new representations of rural women in Spain

Abstract

This article discusses the practices of representing shepherd women in Spain, who have recently become more visible. New representations challenge stereotyped concepts of gender roles and rurality in such a masculinized context as the livestock sector. One of the main arguments of the article is that shepherdesses narratives and visuals connect with the sustainable agro-social development of the economy from an ecofeminist perspective. The authors conducted a close reading of a selection of productions, including short videos and media interventions about shepherdesses. Among the conclusions, they argue that shepherdesses’ media productions and interventions put women at the center of local development processes, with particular emphasis on their role and leadership qualities. Their activities promote and maintain a networked sisterhood that activates intersectional approaches in favor of alternative structures to farming and life in rural areas.