Women and Nature: From Social Construction towards Environmental Protection Case Study of Rembang Women Movement Rejects Mining Industry

A fundamental understanding of human and natural relations occurs in Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia. This is related to environmental conditions and local communities, especially women who live on the slopes of the North Kendeng Mountains, Rembang. This study aims to explain how to distinguish women's knowledge of nature. In addition, this research aims to explain the human rights that are not only attached to themselves but also their right to the living space. This work used a qualitative research method. In addition, it used a critical paradigm and analysis of social construction theory and new social movements (NSM). The primary data in this study were obtained and collected directly from research subjects in the field. The observations were made by taking notes that occurred during the field study and focused to describe the phenomena observed by researchers. The results showed that the social construction of Rembang women of nature as 'Ibu Bumi' (Mother Earth) became the knowledge acquired by a theoretical process as explained by Berger. Through the processes of internalization, the externalization, and objectivation, 'Ibu Bumi' analogy is formed into a social construction. In addition, the Rembang's women movement is a representation of a new social movement (NSM) in which the movement's efforts focus on ecological issues where the Rembang women's movement is aimed at preserving the environment (Kendeng Mountains) from the threats made by the cement factory.