Giusi Quarenghi: a poetics of care between everyday life, ecology and gender

Abstract

This paper explores the work of Giusi Quarenghi, focusing on the pedagogically relevant intersection between her particular ecological sensibility- understood as a sensory and emotional connection with nature- and her complex representations of gender. It examines these aspects through the lens of key instances of ecofeminist thought, such as the critique of hierarchical dualisms (e.g., culture/nature, male/female) and the ethical appreciation of care and interconnectedness. Quarenghi’s writing expresses a “poetics of care”, highlighting the everyday, embodied experience and emotional universe, emphasising how nature functions as a profound experiential space. The child characters transcend stereotypes, displaying remarkable psychological and emotional depth, which suggests non-dominant relational patterns. The author’s distinctive poetic voice thus emerges as a means of promoting an ethic of intersubjective and environmental care, demonstrating rich pedagogical potential in cultivating empathy, critical thinking, and awareness of socio-environmental and gender interconnections.