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To be(e) a(t) risk. Contextualising the perceptions of increased bee mortality as a risk among Swiss farmers

Von Atzigen, Aline LU (2016) HEKM50 20161
Department of Human Geography
Human Ecology
Abstract
The phenomenon of increased bee mortality has reached wide attention and concern among Swiss farmers. This thesis analyses, from a phenomenological approach, how the farmers - as agricultural key actors interacting closely with honey bees - perceive increased bee mortality as a risk.

The quantitative analysis indicates that the age, the perception of the future of global agriculture and all farm specific variables - farm size, geographical zone and production method - contain a statistically significant probability to in uence the intensity of the perception of increased bee mortality as a risk.
The qualitative analysis points out that the farmers perceive increased bee mortality as a complex and global risk embedded in \risk... (More)
The phenomenon of increased bee mortality has reached wide attention and concern among Swiss farmers. This thesis analyses, from a phenomenological approach, how the farmers - as agricultural key actors interacting closely with honey bees - perceive increased bee mortality as a risk.

The quantitative analysis indicates that the age, the perception of the future of global agriculture and all farm specific variables - farm size, geographical zone and production method - contain a statistically significant probability to in uence the intensity of the perception of increased bee mortality as a risk.
The qualitative analysis points out that the farmers perceive increased bee mortality as a complex and global risk embedded in \risk networks". According to the farmers, increased bee mortality is a risk with regard to pollination, harvest and nutrition. Therefore, increased bee mortality is related to the economic risk of income loss, the social risk of insecure food production and the ecological risk of an interrupted food cycle. However, simultaneously increased bee mortality is at risk, due to the impact of industrial agriculture and pesticides on bees. In this context, increased bee mortality is related to the political risk of the current agricultural policy, the ecological risk of pesticides and the social or
cultural risk of pesticide use.

The farmers' perceptions of increased bee mortality embedded in these "risk networks" allude to the broader context of three underlying areas of tension at the intersection of culture - namely agri-culture, the current consumer culture and culture of be(e)ing-in-theworld - power and sustainability. (Less)
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author
Von Atzigen, Aline LU
supervisor
organization
course
HEKM50 20161
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
risk perception, risk networks, increased bee mortality, agriculture, human-nature relation
language
English
id
8873656
date added to LUP
2017-05-22 14:22:13
date last changed
2017-05-22 14:22:13
@misc{8873656,
  abstract     = {{The phenomenon of increased bee mortality has reached wide attention and concern among Swiss farmers. This thesis analyses, from a phenomenological approach, how the farmers - as agricultural key actors interacting closely with honey bees - perceive increased bee mortality as a risk.

The quantitative analysis indicates that the age, the perception of the future of global agriculture and all farm specific variables - farm size, geographical zone and production method - contain a statistically significant probability to in uence the intensity of the perception of increased bee mortality as a risk.
The qualitative analysis points out that the farmers perceive increased bee mortality as a complex and global risk embedded in \risk networks". According to the farmers, increased bee mortality is a risk with regard to pollination, harvest and nutrition. Therefore, increased bee mortality is related to the economic risk of income loss, the social risk of insecure food production and the ecological risk of an interrupted food cycle. However, simultaneously increased bee mortality is at risk, due to the impact of industrial agriculture and pesticides on bees. In this context, increased bee mortality is related to the political risk of the current agricultural policy, the ecological risk of pesticides and the social or
cultural risk of pesticide use. 

The farmers' perceptions of increased bee mortality embedded in these "risk networks" allude to the broader context of three underlying areas of tension at the intersection of culture - namely agri-culture, the current consumer culture and culture of be(e)ing-in-theworld - power and sustainability.}},
  author       = {{Von Atzigen, Aline}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{To be(e) a(t) risk. Contextualising the perceptions of increased bee mortality as a risk among Swiss farmers}},
  year         = {{2016}},
}