Global Journal of Human-Social Science, A: Arts and Humanities, Volume 22 Issue 5

existing contradictions between production and ecology. Social ecology draws heavily on Marx and Engels’ critique of capitalism, approaches to ecology and society. The theory is rooted in the balance of nature, process, diversity, spontaneity, freedom and wholeness (Merchant, Radical Ecology , p. 148). Social ecology is premised on re-harmonizing the relationship between society and nature, as well as to create a rational ecological society (Bookchin, Social Ecology and Communalism p. 11-12). As espoused in Social Ecology and Communalism , Murray Bookchin’s ideas of social ecology are based on his convictions that most of the ecological problems facing humanity today emanates from social problems. Therefore, for him, our ecological crisis cannot be comprehended or resolved except we understand the societies and the inequalities that pervade it. To further buttress his point, he notes that “economic, ethnic, cultural, and gender conflicts” and many others are at the base of many of our ecological problems aside those caused by natural disasters (p. 19). Bookchin (2006) calls on environmentalists who think his ideas are too sociological to think again. This is because most environmental pollutions and hazards like oil spill, deforestation, and hydroelectric projects in places where people dwell are majorly socially and economically motivated (p. 19). He asserts that ecological problems are inseparable from social problem and that trying to separate them will only amount to misunderstanding the sources of the persistent environmental crisis world over. In fact, for him, the relationship amongst human beings is reflective of how humans relate to the environment. And unless this is recognized, we will disregard the hierarchical mentality and class relations permeating the society as what is responsible for the domination of the natural world by humans (p. 20). I shall consider briefly the crux of some of the concepts of social ecology for the analysis of our primary texts here. Some of the concepts are: a) Nature and Society Murray Bookchin (2006) sees nature as dialectical and not instrumental. Nature for him is developmental. He observes that nonhuman nature is not just a scenic view but an unfolding and evolving phenomenon, in constant flux. Nature for him, therefore, encompasses the development from the inorganic into the organic, and from the less differentiated and relatively limited world of unicellular organisms into that of multicellular ones equipped with simple, then, complex, and in time fairly intelligent neural apparatuses that allow them to make innovative choices. (p. 23) Bookchin perceives humans as a product of evolution and as such, a by-product of evolutionary process. For him, humans are a product of long, natural evolutionary process and therefore a part of nature, notwithstanding their large brain cells, advancement in technology, language and science. These advancements and creations of humans are what have culminated into a highly mutable class societies. These creations which are outside the natural processes are what Bookchin calls second nature and are creations of first nature. He avers that the alteration of nature and the creation of second (social) nature by humans are all responsible for most of our ecological crisis. b) Social Hierarchy and Domination Here, Bookchin elucidates further that social nature emerged from biological nature. He avers that as biological facts such as kin lineage, gender distinctions, and age differences were slowly institutionalized, their social dimension were initially egalitarian. It latter developed into a hierarchical, and invariably an exploitative class dimension. As time went by, humanity gradually began to disengage its social organization from the biological facts of blood ties, and began to admit “stranger” thereby opening up for a shared community of human beings rather than a group of kinsmen (“What is Social Ecology” pp. 31-32). In the same manner, many other biological traits were reworked from a natural to social one, and with time, they were also reworked from a social institution to a hierarchical structure of domination that gave rise to structures like gerontocracy and patricentricity, which dominated not just the earth, but also women and other classes of men (pp. 33-35). For Bookchin, hierarchy is an institutionalized relationships created by privileged men to dominated the less privileged. c) The Idea of Dominating Nature The idea of dominating nature has its roots in the domination of human by human and in the hierarchical structuring of nature into chain of beings. Also, the biblical injunction that gave Adam and Noah a command to dominate the world was an expression of a social dispensation (“What is Social Ecology” pp. 38-39). This idea of dominating nature can only be overcome by creating a society that is void of hierarchical structures and class subjugations. Bookchin avers also that the future of human lives go hand in hand with the future of non-human lives. d) Past Studies on Yellow Yellow In an article entitled “The Displaced Male-image in Kaine Agary’s Yellow Yellow ” Ignatius Chukwumah (2013) prioritizes the psychological effects of the presence or absence of a male figure in the life of the central character, Zilayefa. He projects his psychoanalytic studies using Sigmund Freud and Carl Jung’s theories while examining the anxieties that come with the presence and absence of a male-image in the characters lives. Chukwumah investigates what he calls the displaced male-image as displayed by most of the male characters in the novel and how their actions Volume XXII Issue V Version I 2 ( ) Global Journal of Human Social Science - Year 2022 © 2022 Global Journals A A Social Ecological Reading of Kaine Agary’s Yellow Yellow