Substitution and food system de-animalisation The case of non-dairy milk

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Published Jan 22, 2019
Carol Morris Jo Mylan Emma Beech

Abstract

Situated within the context of concerns about sustainability and the over production and consumption of foods from animals the paper extends the emerging social science research field that addresses the ‘de-animalisation’ of the food system to explore societal debate around the substitution of foods from animals. Non-dairy milks (NDMs), made from legumes, nuts, seeds and grains provide a novel empirical case. NDMs are a substitute for dairy milk, a totemic food within national diets across the global North but one that to date has received limited attention within investigation of food system de-animalisation. A frame analysis is employed to explore how different food system actors make sense of the relationship between NDMs, dairy milk and food system sustainability. Identification of frames is undertaken through a qualitative methodology in which thematic analysis is conducted of exploratory primary data (seven semi-structured interviews) and secondary textual data from a wide range of sources. Two ‘pro NDM’ and one ‘pro dairy’ frames are identified, each associated with distinct groups of food system actors and emphasising different dimensions of sustainability. The paper concludes by reflecting on what the analysis reveals about substitution as a strategy within food system de-animalisation and the politics and governance of this process, and also offers suggestions for social science research into these issues.

How to Cite

Morris, C., Mylan, J. and Beech, E. (2019) “Substitution and food system de-animalisation: The case of non-dairy milk”, The International Journal of Sociology of Agriculture and Food. Paris, France, 25(1). doi: 10.48416/ijsaf.v25i1.8.
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