Between interests and ideals : an ethnographic investigation of organic farmers in Saskatchewan

• Main Author: Bronson, Kelly Selina
• Other Authors: Mehta, Michael D.
• Format: Others
• Language: en
• Published: University of Saskatchewan 2004
• Subjects: Monsanto; farming; Bayer; intellectual property; social movements; habermas; organic; Saskatchewan; genetic engineering
• Online Access: http://library.usask.ca/theses/available/etd-07012004-111311/

<p>This research investigates the nature of the social project surrounding the lawsuit between the organic farmers of Saskatchewan, Canada, and Monsanto and Bayer, the two largest biotechnology companies in Canada. The thesis also explores the culture of organic farming in an era of high technology and globalization. An ethnographic approach is employed in order to address this research aim from the perspective of study participants. Based on interview data, I detail the difficulties facing farmers, especially small organic farmers, in Canada today. I also describe a hope and determination amongst organic farmers who see themselves resisting the erosion of the rural landscape at the hands of powerful corporations and a dominant industrial model of food production. In the end, the organic farmers of Saskatchewan are recognized as part of a broad, coalitional and embryonic new social movement whose lifeworld, or cultural, focus reflects the post-modern character of contemporary society and presents some interesting challenges for social science.</p>