Guy Butler’s Political Ecology: History, Appropriation, Alienation, Belonging

Abstract

This article explores various aspects of Guy Butler’s “ecowriting” and “ecocriticism”. The first section considers his evocation of the relationship (or the rift) between natural history and human history. The second section addresses the problematic processes of “naming and taming” – subduing, controlling and claiming ownership of the land – and the ways in which these inform and are informed by conquest and colonisation. The third section weighs Butler’s shifting responses to the (in)hospitable African climate and landscape. In the fourth section, the ecological imperative driving much of Butler’s work is shown to complement his efforts to overcome racial and cultural divides in South Africa.

Opsomming
Hierdie artikel verken verskillende aspekte van Guy Butler se "ekogeskrifte" en "ekokritiek". In die eerste deel word sy evokasie van die verhouding (of skeuring) tussen die natuurgeskiedenis en die menslike geskiedenis onder die loep geneem. In die tweede deel word die problematiese prosesse van "naamgewing en temming" – die onderwerping, beheer en toeëiening van grond – en die wyses waarop dit deur oorwinning en kolonisasie veroorsaak word en dit ook veroorsaak – van naderby bekyk. In die derde deel word Butler se verskuiwende response op die (on)herbergsame klimaat en landskap van Afrika in oënskou geneem. In die vierde deel word daar getoon hoe die ekologiese imperatief wat die stukrag agter die meeste van Butler se werk vorm, sy pogings aanvul om rasse- en kulturele verdelings in Suid-Afrika te bowe te kom.