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Communication as transformative praxis – A critical exploration of tension-based work to strengthen cooperative communication within the movement of Community Supported Agriculture

Jessen, Anne Lisbeth LU (2024) HEKM51 20241
Department of Human Geography
Human Ecology
Abstract
Behind the background of the increasing self-destructive nature of capitalism, this thesis investigates Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a promising movement opposing corporate industrial food systems. Given that major difficulties appear to be of internal nature and arise from misunderstanding and a lack of trust, the focus lies on internal communication as a leverage point for the movement’s development. To generate a practical and applicable contribution for CSAs, the research explores a communication method from radical self-organized organizations, tension-based work, regarding its potential impact on fostering cooperation within communities. Grounded in a critical research framework, findings reveal how capitalist rationality... (More)
Behind the background of the increasing self-destructive nature of capitalism, this thesis investigates Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a promising movement opposing corporate industrial food systems. Given that major difficulties appear to be of internal nature and arise from misunderstanding and a lack of trust, the focus lies on internal communication as a leverage point for the movement’s development. To generate a practical and applicable contribution for CSAs, the research explores a communication method from radical self-organized organizations, tension-based work, regarding its potential impact on fostering cooperation within communities. Grounded in a critical research framework, findings reveal how capitalist rationality hampers open communication within CSAs, provoking subliminal tensions and conflicts. Through interviews and observations, tension-based work emerges as a catalyst for cooperative and reflective communication, enabling individuals to articulate needs and emotions, thereby fostering mutual understanding and equal work relations. However, such potentials hinge on preconditions such as trust, non-hierarchical structures, professional moderation, and regularity, with particularly the latter requiring resources typically scarce in CSAs. This may lead to instrumentalizing tension-based work for efficiency, thereby perpetuating capitalist communication patterns. To mitigate this risk, the study emphasizes a process orientation that acknowledges contradictions. This allows individual motivations to be channeled into a collective energy that effectively challenges corporate industrial food systems. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Jessen, Anne Lisbeth LU
supervisor
organization
course
HEKM51 20241
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Community-supported-agriculture (CSA), Critical research framework, communication, tension-based work, cooperation, transformative praxis, processuality
language
English
id
9165988
date added to LUP
2024-07-24 11:45:24
date last changed
2024-07-24 11:45:24
@misc{9165988,
  abstract     = {{Behind the background of the increasing self-destructive nature of capitalism, this thesis investigates Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) as a promising movement opposing corporate industrial food systems. Given that major difficulties appear to be of internal nature and arise from misunderstanding and a lack of trust, the focus lies on internal communication as a leverage point for the movement’s development. To generate a practical and applicable contribution for CSAs, the research explores a communication method from radical self-organized organizations, tension-based work, regarding its potential impact on fostering cooperation within communities. Grounded in a critical research framework, findings reveal how capitalist rationality hampers open communication within CSAs, provoking subliminal tensions and conflicts. Through interviews and observations, tension-based work emerges as a catalyst for cooperative and reflective communication, enabling individuals to articulate needs and emotions, thereby fostering mutual understanding and equal work relations. However, such potentials hinge on preconditions such as trust, non-hierarchical structures, professional moderation, and regularity, with particularly the latter requiring resources typically scarce in CSAs. This may lead to instrumentalizing tension-based work for efficiency, thereby perpetuating capitalist communication patterns. To mitigate this risk, the study emphasizes a process orientation that acknowledges contradictions. This allows individual motivations to be channeled into a collective energy that effectively challenges corporate industrial food systems.}},
  author       = {{Jessen, Anne Lisbeth}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Communication as transformative praxis – A critical exploration of tension-based work to strengthen cooperative communication within the movement of Community Supported Agriculture}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}