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Resilience of Social-Ecological Systems: At the Limits of Hegemonic Masculinity

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Social-Ecological Systems (SES)

Abstract

A key challenge of the Anthropocene era is to advance human development without crossing ecological thresholds or undermining critical ecological services. The purpose of this chapter is to show that we cannot hope for social-ecological resilience, viability, and stasis if the underlying value systems of society, especially hegemonic masculinity tendencies, remain untouched. The chapter underscores that hegemonic masculinity tendencies have a larger ecological footprint that is responsible for the emergence of many social-ecological risks and emergencies, which cause certain dynamics of vulnerability, insecurity, and crises for both social and ecological systems. The chapter observes that although attempts have been made to integrate a gender perspective into social-ecological resilience analysis, much of this research has focused on the understanding of the interdependent relations between social-ecological systems and gender. This analysis transcends such paradigms to argue that it is not enough. What is needed is not a mere incorporation of gender analysis but the transformation of hegemonic masculinity value systems given its significant influence on socio-ecological resilience. Furthermore, the analysis shows that it is the same hegemonic masculinity tendencies that contribute to the incapacity of society to manage risk dynamics and reduce vulnerability. The analysis refers to Raewyn Connell’s (1987) theory to show how hegemonic masculinity acts as a structural and systemic driver of social-ecological systems insecurity, vulnerability, and risks. The chapter proposes a shift to a gender transformative paradigm in social-ecological resilience that targets hegemonic masculinity.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    Term borrowed from the shelter of cattle in Zimbabwe used here to connote a bigger herd of cattle.

  2. 2.

    This comment was a counter-argument to conservation practices meaning that without meat food becomes inedible.

  3. 3.

    Is a local term referring to the staple food of these communities, usually prepared from mealie meal and is thicker than porridge.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Midlands State University Gender Institute, Gweru, Zimbabwe

    Mukoni Manuku

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  1. Mukoni Manuku
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Correspondence to Mukoni Manuku .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. College of Law, Economics and Social Science of Agadir, Center for Environment, Human Security & Governance (CERES), Université Ibn Zohr, Agadir, Morocco

    Mohamed Behnassi

  2. JSPS-UNU Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Tokyo & Institute for the Advanced Study of Sustainability, United Nations University, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

    Himangana Gupta

  3. College of Law, Economics and Social Science of Casablanca, University of Hassan II Casablanca, Rabat, Morocco

    Mahjoub El Haiba

  4. NTPC School of Business, NOIDA, India

    Gopichandran Ramachandran

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Manuku, M. (2021). Resilience of Social-Ecological Systems: At the Limits of Hegemonic Masculinity. In: Behnassi, M., Gupta, H., El Haiba, M., Ramachandran, G. (eds) Social-Ecological Systems (SES). Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-76247-6_5

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