NADİNE GORDİMER’İN THE CONSERVATIONIST ADLI ROMANINDA ANTROPOSANTRİZM, KAPİTALİZM VE EKOFEMİNİZM: EKOELEŞTİREL BİR YAKLAŞIM
Abstract
Bu çalışma, Güney Afrikalı yazar Nadine Gordimer’in The Conservationist (1974) adlı romanını ekoeleştirel bir yaklaşımla incelemeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada, romandaki başkarakter Mehring’in doğaya, hayvanlara, yerli halka ve kadınlara yönelik tutumları üzerinden antroposantrizm, türcülük, ırkçılık ve patriyarkal bakış açılarının ekolojik sorunların temel nedenleri olduğu ortaya konmuştur. Araştırma, nitel bir edebî metin çözümlemesi olarak tasarlanmış, derin ekoloji, sosyal ekoloji ve ekofeminizm gibi yaklaşımlar kuramsal temel olarak ele alınmıştır. Bulgular, kapitalist zihniyetin doğayı ve insanları metalaştırarak sömürdüğünü, patriyarkal düzenin kadın ve doğa üzerinde aynı baskı mekanizmalarını kurduğunu, ırkçılığın ise sömürgecilik bağlamında hem insanları hem de ekosistemi olumsuz etkilediğini göstermektedir. Romanda, Mehring’in kişiliğinde somutlaşan bu sömürücü zihniyetin, sadece bireysel bir karakter değil, aynı zamanda kapitalizmin, kolonyalizmin ve ataerkil düzenin bir yansıması olduğu vurgulanmaktadır. Çalışmanın bir diğer önemli bulgusu, edebiyatın çevre sorunlarına dikkat çekme ve ekolojik farkındalık yaratma gücüdür. Gordimer’in romanı, doğanın yalnızca ekonomik bir kaynak olarak görülmesine karşı çıkarak, insan-doğa ilişkisinde etik ve bütüncül bir bakış açısının gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu bağlamda, çalışma hem edebiyat incelemelerine ekolojik bir katkı sağlamakta hem de günümüz çevre tartışmalarına ışık tutmaktadır.
References
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- Bookchin, M. (1982). The ecology of freedom: The emergence and dissolution of hierarchy. Cheshire Books.
- Buell, L. (1995). The environmental imagination: Thoreau, nature writing, and the formation of American culture. Harvard University Press.
- Carson, R. (1962). Silent spring. Houghton Mifflin.
- Gaard, G. (1993). Ecofeminism: Women, animals, nature. Temple University Press.
- Garrard, G. (2012). Ecocriticism (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Glotfelty, C. (1996). Introduction: Literary studies in an age of environmental crisis. In C. Glotfelty & H. Fromm (Eds.), The ecocriticism reader: Landmarks in literary ecology (pp. xv–xxxvii). University of Georgia Press.
- Gordimer, N. (1974). The conservationist. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Leopold, A. (1949). A sand county almanac. Oxford University Press.
- Merchant, C. (1996). Earthcare: Women and the environment. Routledge.
- Naess, A. (1973). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement. Inquiry, *16*(1–4), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00201747308601682
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- Slovic, S. (2000). Ecocriticism: Containing multitudes, practicing doctrine. In L. Coupe (Ed.), The green studies reader: From romanticism to ecocriticism (pp. 160–162). Routledge.
- Warren, K. J. (1997). Ecofeminism: Women, culture, nature. Indiana University Press.
- Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2018). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (11. baskı). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
ANTHROPOCENTRISM, CAPITALISM AND ECOFEMINISM IN NADINE GORDIMER’S THE CONSERVATIONIST: AN ECOCRITICAL APPROACH
Abstract
This study aims to analyze South African writer Nadine Gordimer’s The Conservationist (1974) through an ecocritical lens. The research focuses on the protagonist Mehring’s attitudes toward nature, animals, indigenous people, and women, highlighting anthropocentrism, speciesism, racism, and patriarchy as fundamental sources of ecological problems. Designed as a qualitative literary text analysis, the study employs theoretical perspectives such as deep ecology, social ecology, and ecofeminism to provide a comprehensive framework. The findings indicate that the capitalist mentality commodifies both nature and human beings, patriarchal structures impose similar forms of domination on women and nature, and colonial racism contributes to the exploitation of people as well as ecosystems. In the novel, Mehring embodies not only an individual character but also the symbolic reflection of capitalism, colonialism, and patriarchy. The analysis also emphasizes literature’s capacity to address environmental problems and to foster ecological awareness. Gordimer’s novel challenges the reduction of nature to a mere economic resource and underlines the necessity of an ethical and holistic perspective in human–nature relations. By demonstrating how literature can function as a cultural response to ecological crises, this study offers an interdisciplinary contribution to ecocriticism while shedding light on contemporary debates about sustainability, environmental justice, and ecological consciousness.
References
- Aldemir, N. (2025). Cartographies of becoming: Hybridity, deterritorialization and identity in The Buddha of Suburbia. Uluslararası Türkçe Edebiyat Kültür Eğitim Dergisi, *14*(3), 920-937.
- Bookchin, M. (1982). The ecology of freedom: The emergence and dissolution of hierarchy. Cheshire Books.
- Buell, L. (1995). The environmental imagination: Thoreau, nature writing, and the formation of American culture. Harvard University Press.
- Carson, R. (1962). Silent spring. Houghton Mifflin.
- Gaard, G. (1993). Ecofeminism: Women, animals, nature. Temple University Press.
- Garrard, G. (2012). Ecocriticism (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Glotfelty, C. (1996). Introduction: Literary studies in an age of environmental crisis. In C. Glotfelty & H. Fromm (Eds.), The ecocriticism reader: Landmarks in literary ecology (pp. xv–xxxvii). University of Georgia Press.
- Gordimer, N. (1974). The conservationist. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Leopold, A. (1949). A sand county almanac. Oxford University Press.
- Merchant, C. (1996). Earthcare: Women and the environment. Routledge.
- Naess, A. (1973). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement. Inquiry, *16*(1–4), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00201747308601682
- Oppermann, S. (2012). Ekoeleştiri: Çevre ve edebiyat. Phoenix Yayınevi.
- Singer, P. (1990). Animal liberation (2nd ed.). Random House.
- Slovic, S. (2000). Ecocriticism: Containing multitudes, practicing doctrine. In L. Coupe (Ed.), The green studies reader: From romanticism to ecocriticism (pp. 160–162). Routledge.
- Warren, K. J. (1997). Ecofeminism: Women, culture, nature. Indiana University Press.
- Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2018). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (11. baskı). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
Abstract
References
- Aldemir, N. (2025). Cartographies of becoming: Hybridity, deterritorialization and identity in The Buddha of Suburbia. Uluslararası Türkçe Edebiyat Kültür Eğitim Dergisi, *14*(3), 920-937.
- Bookchin, M. (1982). The ecology of freedom: The emergence and dissolution of hierarchy. Cheshire Books.
- Buell, L. (1995). The environmental imagination: Thoreau, nature writing, and the formation of American culture. Harvard University Press.
- Carson, R. (1962). Silent spring. Houghton Mifflin.
- Gaard, G. (1993). Ecofeminism: Women, animals, nature. Temple University Press.
- Garrard, G. (2012). Ecocriticism (2nd ed.). Routledge.
- Glotfelty, C. (1996). Introduction: Literary studies in an age of environmental crisis. In C. Glotfelty & H. Fromm (Eds.), The ecocriticism reader: Landmarks in literary ecology (pp. xv–xxxvii). University of Georgia Press.
- Gordimer, N. (1974). The conservationist. Bloomsbury Publishing.
- Leopold, A. (1949). A sand county almanac. Oxford University Press.
- Merchant, C. (1996). Earthcare: Women and the environment. Routledge.
- Naess, A. (1973). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement. Inquiry, *16*(1–4), 95–100. https://doi.org/10.1080/00201747308601682
- Oppermann, S. (2012). Ekoeleştiri: Çevre ve edebiyat. Phoenix Yayınevi.
- Singer, P. (1990). Animal liberation (2nd ed.). Random House.
- Slovic, S. (2000). Ecocriticism: Containing multitudes, practicing doctrine. In L. Coupe (Ed.), The green studies reader: From romanticism to ecocriticism (pp. 160–162). Routledge.
- Warren, K. J. (1997). Ecofeminism: Women, culture, nature. Indiana University Press.
- Yıldırım, A., & Şimşek, H. (2018). Sosyal bilimlerde nitel araştırma yöntemleri (11. baskı). Seçkin Yayıncılık.
Details
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | British and Irish Language, Literature and Culture |
| Journal Section | Research Article |
| Authors | |
| Submission Date | October 5, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | October 23, 2025 |
| Publication Date | April 28, 2026 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.29029/busbed.1797589 |
| IZ | https://izlik.org/JA43YF33JA |
| Published in Issue | Year 2026 Issue: 31 |