Alternative Genetically Modified Organisms, Organics and The Contested Construction of Demand in the Agro-food System
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Published
Jan 15, 2021
John Wilkinson
Abstract
This article argues that the examples of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and organics call for a critical reappraisal of demand and consumer theory as applied to agro-food studies. While GMOs have been the object of unprecedented opposition in spite of their unanimous adoption by upstream multinationals, organics have experienced spectacular autonomous growth leading to belated adaptive responses by the major downstream actors. After examining the implications of these two developments, the article discusses the contested dynamics of demand formation in the agro-food system and the different ways in which broader demand trends influence food consumption patterns. It also calls attention to the central role of new civic and State actors in analysing the alliances now emerging within the agro-food system.
How to Cite
Wilkinson, J. . (2021) “Alternative Genetically Modified Organisms, Organics and The Contested Construction of Demand in the Agro-food System ”, The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. Paris, France, 10(2), pp. 3–10. doi: 10.48416/ijsaf.v10i2.329.
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References
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Audroing, Jean-Francois. 1995. Les Industries Agro-Alimentaires. Paris: Economica Editions.
Bauman, Zygmunt. 1998. Work,Consumption and the New Poor. London: Open University Press.
Boltanski, Luc and Laurent Thévenot, 1991. De la Justification. Paris: Gallimard.
Bombal, Jacques & Philippe Chalmin. 1980. L’Agroalimentaire. Paris: PUF.
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Buttel, Frederick. 1993. “Ideology and Agricultural Technology in the Late Twentieth Century: Biotechnology as Symbol and Substance.” Agriculture and Human Values X, 2.
Byé, Pascal and Alan Mounier. 1984. Les Futurs Alimentaires et Energetiques des Biotechnologies. Grenoble: Presse Universitaire de Grenoble
Commission of the European Communities. 2002. Life Sciences and Biotechnology – A Strategy for Europe. Brussels.
Ducos, Chantal and Pierre Joly. 1986. Structure et Strategies de l'Industrie des Semences face à I'Innovation Biotechnologique. Paris: Economica Editions.
Durant, John, Martin Bauer and George. Gaskell (eds). 1998. Biotechnology in the Public Sphere – a European Source Book. London: Science Museum.
Elliot, Carl. 2001. “Pharma buys a Conscience.” The American Prospect 12, 17.
ETC Group Communique. 2001. Globalization Inc. Concentration in Corporate Power: The Unmentioned Agenda. www.etcgroup.org.
Fanfani, Roberto, Raul Green, Roberto Rodrigues-Zuniga and John Wilkinson.1990. “Changement Technique et Restructuration de l´Industrie Agralimentaire en Europe.” Paris: INRA.
FAPESP (Sao Paulo Foundation for the Support of Science and Technology). 2001. Pesquisa FAPESP. São Paulo.
FAST (Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology). 1984. Programme Report. Brussels: European Commission.
Featherstone, Mike. 1991. Consumer Culture and Postmodernism. London: Sage.
Filser, Marc, Véronique des Garets and Gilles Pache. 2002. La Distribution: Organisation et Strategie. Paris, Éditions EMS
Fonte, Maria. 1999. “Sistemi alimentari, modelli di consumo e percezione del rischio nella società tardo moderna.” La Questione Agraria 76.
Friedland, William, Amy E. Barton and Robert Thomas. 1981. Manufacturing Green Gold. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Fulton, Murray and Konstantinos Giannakas. 2001. “Agricultural Biotechnology and Industry Structure.” AgBioForum. 4, 2. http://www.agbioforum.org
Geier, Bernard. 1999. A Short Overview and Facts on Worldwide Organic Agriculture. www.ifoam.org
Goldberg, Ray. 1968 Agribusiness Coordination. Boston: Harvard University
Goodman, David, Bernardo Sorj and John Wilkinson.1987. From Farming to Biotechnology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Guivant, Julia. S. Forthcoming. “Heterogeneous and Unconventional Coalitions Around Global Food Risks: Integrating Brazil into the debates.” Journal of Environment and Planning.
Guivant, Julia. 2001. "Global Food Risks: Environmental and Health Concerns in Brazil" in Daniel J. Hogan and Maurício T. Tolmasquim (eds.), Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change. Brazilian Perspectives. Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian Academy of Science.
Guthman, Julie. 2001. Commodified Meanings and Meaningful Commodities. Paper presented at a Workshop Rethinking Production and Consumption. Santa Cruz.
Harvey, Mark 1999. Genetic Modification as a Bio-Socio-Economic Process:One Case of Canned Tomato Purée. Manchester : Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition.
Heffernan, William 2001. Consolidation in Food Retailing and Dairy. National Farmer’s Union: Denver and Washington D.C.
Just-Food.com, 24 January 2002.
Joly, Pierre Benoit and Stéphane. Lemarie. 1998. "Industry Consolidation, Public Attitude and the Future of Plant Biotechnology in Europe." AgBioForum. http://www.agbioforum.org
Kenny, Martin, Jack Kloppenberg Jr., Frederick Buttel and J. T. Cowan. 1982. « Genetic Engineering and Agriculture : Exploring the Impacts of Biotechnology on Industrial Structure, Industry-University Relationships and the Social Organisation of U.S. Agriculture. »Rural Sociology Bulletin No. 125, Cornell University
Kenny, Martin 1986. Biotechnology : The University-Industrial Complex. New Haven :Yale University Press.
Keat, Russel, Nicholas Abercrombie and Nigel Whitely. 1994. The Authority of the Consumer. London: Routledge.
Lampkin, Nicolas. 1999. Organic Farming in the European Union. Baden/Vienna.
Lockie, Stewart, Kristen Lyons and Geoffrey Lawrence. 2000. “Constructing “Green” Foods. Corporate Capital, Risk, and Organic farming in Australia and New Zealand.” Agriculture and Human Values 17, 4: 315-322.
Long, Norman and Ann Long.1992. Battlefields of Knowledge. London: Routledge.
Lundvall, Bengt-Ake. 1988. “Learning Through Interaction.” In Giovanni Dossi et al. Economic Theory and Technical Change. London: Macmillan.
Malassis, Louis. 1979. L´Économie Agroalimentaire.Paris: Cujas.
Marsden, Terry. 2000. Producción, Mercados, Regulación y Tecnología en los Rubros Organicos. PROCISUR:.Montevideo.
Marsden, Terry. 2001. New Communities of Interest in Rural Development and Agro-food Studies: An Exploration of some Key Concepts. Paper presented at the Workshop Rethinking Production and Consumption. Santa Cruz.
Marsden, Terry and Neil. Wrigley. 1995. ‘Regulation, Retailing and Consumption.’ Environment Planning A, 27:12
Mennel, Stephen, Anne Murcott, and Anneke Van Otterloo. 1992. The Sociology of Food. London: Sage Publications.
Ministry of Science and Technology. 2001. Livro Verde: Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. Brasília: MCT.
Murdoch, Jonathan. 1995 “Actor-Networks and the Evolution of Economic Forms.” Environment and Planning A 27:731-57
Murdoch, Jonathan., Terry Marsden and Jo Banks. 2000. “Quality, Nature and Embeddedness. Some Theoretical Considerations in the Context of the Food Sector.” Economic Geography 76. 107-125
OECD, 2000 Science, Technology and Industry Outlook. Paris: OECD
Piore, Michael and Charles Sabel. 1984. The Second Industrial Divide. NewYork: Basic Books
Raynolds, Laura. 2000. “Re-embedding Global Agriculture: The International Organic and Fair Trade Movements”. Agriculture and Human Values 17 3: 297-309.
Salais, Robert and Michael Storper. 1993 Les Mondes de Production, Paris, Éditions de l´EHESS
Sorj, Bernardo and John Wilkinson. 1992. "Strategies of Leading Firms in Agro-food." Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food. Paris: OECD.
Tansey, Geof and Tony Worsley. 1995. The Food System. London: Earthscan.
Walsh, Vivien. 1996. “Design, Innovation and the Boundaries of the Firm.” Research Policy 25:509-529
Wilkinson, John. 1993. “Adjusting to a Demand Oriented Food System: New Directions for Biotechnology Innovation”. Agriculture & Human Values 2 10:31-39
Wilkinson, John.1997. "A New Paradigm for Economic Analysis?." Economy and Society 26, 3.
Wilkinson, John. 2000. Demandas Tecnológicas, Competitividade e Inovação no Sistema Agroalimentar do Mercosul Ampliado, Montevideo: Procisur/BID
Wilkinson, John. Forthcoming. The Final Foods Industry within the Changing Face of the Global Agro-food System. Sociologia Ruralis.
Audroing, Jean-Francois. 1995. Les Industries Agro-Alimentaires. Paris: Economica Editions.
Bauman, Zygmunt. 1998. Work,Consumption and the New Poor. London: Open University Press.
Boltanski, Luc and Laurent Thévenot, 1991. De la Justification. Paris: Gallimard.
Bombal, Jacques & Philippe Chalmin. 1980. L’Agroalimentaire. Paris: PUF.
Buck, Daniel, Christina Getz and Julie Guthman. 1997. “From Farm to Table: The Organic Vegetable Commodity Chain of Northern California.” Sociologia Ruralis 37 (1):3-20.
Buttel, Frederick. 1993. “Ideology and Agricultural Technology in the Late Twentieth Century: Biotechnology as Symbol and Substance.” Agriculture and Human Values X, 2.
Byé, Pascal and Alan Mounier. 1984. Les Futurs Alimentaires et Energetiques des Biotechnologies. Grenoble: Presse Universitaire de Grenoble
Commission of the European Communities. 2002. Life Sciences and Biotechnology – A Strategy for Europe. Brussels.
Ducos, Chantal and Pierre Joly. 1986. Structure et Strategies de l'Industrie des Semences face à I'Innovation Biotechnologique. Paris: Economica Editions.
Durant, John, Martin Bauer and George. Gaskell (eds). 1998. Biotechnology in the Public Sphere – a European Source Book. London: Science Museum.
Elliot, Carl. 2001. “Pharma buys a Conscience.” The American Prospect 12, 17.
ETC Group Communique. 2001. Globalization Inc. Concentration in Corporate Power: The Unmentioned Agenda. www.etcgroup.org.
Fanfani, Roberto, Raul Green, Roberto Rodrigues-Zuniga and John Wilkinson.1990. “Changement Technique et Restructuration de l´Industrie Agralimentaire en Europe.” Paris: INRA.
FAPESP (Sao Paulo Foundation for the Support of Science and Technology). 2001. Pesquisa FAPESP. São Paulo.
FAST (Forecasting and Assessment in Science and Technology). 1984. Programme Report. Brussels: European Commission.
Featherstone, Mike. 1991. Consumer Culture and Postmodernism. London: Sage.
Filser, Marc, Véronique des Garets and Gilles Pache. 2002. La Distribution: Organisation et Strategie. Paris, Éditions EMS
Fonte, Maria. 1999. “Sistemi alimentari, modelli di consumo e percezione del rischio nella società tardo moderna.” La Questione Agraria 76.
Friedland, William, Amy E. Barton and Robert Thomas. 1981. Manufacturing Green Gold. New York: Cambridge University Press.
Fulton, Murray and Konstantinos Giannakas. 2001. “Agricultural Biotechnology and Industry Structure.” AgBioForum. 4, 2. http://www.agbioforum.org
Geier, Bernard. 1999. A Short Overview and Facts on Worldwide Organic Agriculture. www.ifoam.org
Goldberg, Ray. 1968 Agribusiness Coordination. Boston: Harvard University
Goodman, David, Bernardo Sorj and John Wilkinson.1987. From Farming to Biotechnology. Oxford: Blackwell.
Guivant, Julia. S. Forthcoming. “Heterogeneous and Unconventional Coalitions Around Global Food Risks: Integrating Brazil into the debates.” Journal of Environment and Planning.
Guivant, Julia. 2001. "Global Food Risks: Environmental and Health Concerns in Brazil" in Daniel J. Hogan and Maurício T. Tolmasquim (eds.), Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change. Brazilian Perspectives. Rio de Janeiro: Brazilian Academy of Science.
Guthman, Julie. 2001. Commodified Meanings and Meaningful Commodities. Paper presented at a Workshop Rethinking Production and Consumption. Santa Cruz.
Harvey, Mark 1999. Genetic Modification as a Bio-Socio-Economic Process:One Case of Canned Tomato Purée. Manchester : Centre for Research on Innovation and Competition.
Heffernan, William 2001. Consolidation in Food Retailing and Dairy. National Farmer’s Union: Denver and Washington D.C.
Just-Food.com, 24 January 2002.
Joly, Pierre Benoit and Stéphane. Lemarie. 1998. "Industry Consolidation, Public Attitude and the Future of Plant Biotechnology in Europe." AgBioForum. http://www.agbioforum.org
Kenny, Martin, Jack Kloppenberg Jr., Frederick Buttel and J. T. Cowan. 1982. « Genetic Engineering and Agriculture : Exploring the Impacts of Biotechnology on Industrial Structure, Industry-University Relationships and the Social Organisation of U.S. Agriculture. »Rural Sociology Bulletin No. 125, Cornell University
Kenny, Martin 1986. Biotechnology : The University-Industrial Complex. New Haven :Yale University Press.
Keat, Russel, Nicholas Abercrombie and Nigel Whitely. 1994. The Authority of the Consumer. London: Routledge.
Lampkin, Nicolas. 1999. Organic Farming in the European Union. Baden/Vienna.
Lockie, Stewart, Kristen Lyons and Geoffrey Lawrence. 2000. “Constructing “Green” Foods. Corporate Capital, Risk, and Organic farming in Australia and New Zealand.” Agriculture and Human Values 17, 4: 315-322.
Long, Norman and Ann Long.1992. Battlefields of Knowledge. London: Routledge.
Lundvall, Bengt-Ake. 1988. “Learning Through Interaction.” In Giovanni Dossi et al. Economic Theory and Technical Change. London: Macmillan.
Malassis, Louis. 1979. L´Économie Agroalimentaire.Paris: Cujas.
Marsden, Terry. 2000. Producción, Mercados, Regulación y Tecnología en los Rubros Organicos. PROCISUR:.Montevideo.
Marsden, Terry. 2001. New Communities of Interest in Rural Development and Agro-food Studies: An Exploration of some Key Concepts. Paper presented at the Workshop Rethinking Production and Consumption. Santa Cruz.
Marsden, Terry and Neil. Wrigley. 1995. ‘Regulation, Retailing and Consumption.’ Environment Planning A, 27:12
Mennel, Stephen, Anne Murcott, and Anneke Van Otterloo. 1992. The Sociology of Food. London: Sage Publications.
Ministry of Science and Technology. 2001. Livro Verde: Ciência, Tecnologia e Inovação. Brasília: MCT.
Murdoch, Jonathan. 1995 “Actor-Networks and the Evolution of Economic Forms.” Environment and Planning A 27:731-57
Murdoch, Jonathan., Terry Marsden and Jo Banks. 2000. “Quality, Nature and Embeddedness. Some Theoretical Considerations in the Context of the Food Sector.” Economic Geography 76. 107-125
OECD, 2000 Science, Technology and Industry Outlook. Paris: OECD
Piore, Michael and Charles Sabel. 1984. The Second Industrial Divide. NewYork: Basic Books
Raynolds, Laura. 2000. “Re-embedding Global Agriculture: The International Organic and Fair Trade Movements”. Agriculture and Human Values 17 3: 297-309.
Salais, Robert and Michael Storper. 1993 Les Mondes de Production, Paris, Éditions de l´EHESS
Sorj, Bernardo and John Wilkinson. 1992. "Strategies of Leading Firms in Agro-food." Biotechnology, Agriculture and Food. Paris: OECD.
Tansey, Geof and Tony Worsley. 1995. The Food System. London: Earthscan.
Walsh, Vivien. 1996. “Design, Innovation and the Boundaries of the Firm.” Research Policy 25:509-529
Wilkinson, John. 1993. “Adjusting to a Demand Oriented Food System: New Directions for Biotechnology Innovation”. Agriculture & Human Values 2 10:31-39
Wilkinson, John.1997. "A New Paradigm for Economic Analysis?." Economy and Society 26, 3.
Wilkinson, John. 2000. Demandas Tecnológicas, Competitividade e Inovação no Sistema Agroalimentar do Mercosul Ampliado, Montevideo: Procisur/BID
Wilkinson, John. Forthcoming. The Final Foods Industry within the Changing Face of the Global Agro-food System. Sociologia Ruralis.
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