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Consent and Consensus in Policies Reated to Food : Five Core Values

Röcklinsberg, Helena LU (2006) In Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 19(3). p.285-299
Abstract
When formulating a policy related to food in a heterogeneous context within a nation or between nations, oppositional positions are more or less explicit, but always have to be overcome. It is interesting to note, though, that such elements as culture and religion have seldom been the focus in discussions about methods of decision-making in food policy. To handle discrepancies between oppositional positions, one solution is to narrow differences between partners, another to accept one partner or position as dominant. In a solid and lasting policy, any of these options has to be agreed upon by all the partners involved. In this article, I argue that context sensitivity and a shared picture of the situation are necessary bases for a solid... (More)
When formulating a policy related to food in a heterogeneous context within a nation or between nations, oppositional positions are more or less explicit, but always have to be overcome. It is interesting to note, though, that such elements as culture and religion have seldom been the focus in discussions about methods of decision-making in food policy. To handle discrepancies between oppositional positions, one solution is to narrow differences between partners, another to accept one partner or position as dominant. In a solid and lasting policy, any of these options has to be agreed upon by all the partners involved. In this article, I argue that context sensitivity and a shared picture of the situation are necessary bases for a solid food policy. Two methods for policy discussion are elaborated on and religious slaughter is given as an example of a heterogeneous setting with strongly diverging ideals. Several aspects have to be respected from the outset, such as culture, religion, and value systems. This condition is partly met in a model of informed consent and in a consensus model. The informed consent model is regarded as insufficient, because it lacks both methods of dealing with hierarchies and the goal of finding a shared and nuanced picture of the situation. A consensus model meets these tasks but might on the other hand, among other things, be too difficult to follow and to administer. For both models, some difficulties with justification of decisions arise. Five essential elements emanating from a combination of these models are suggested as a basis for a decision process regarding food policies: respect for each discussion partner, context sensitivity, respect for arguments including emotions, a shared picture of the situation, and finally relating theory and practice. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
context-dependent informed consent, consensus, decision-making, food policy, democracy, heterogeneous setting, religion
in
Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics
volume
19
issue
3
pages
285 - 299
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • wos:000238261500006
  • scopus:33646121284
ISSN
1187-7863
DOI
10.1007/s10806-005-6166-y
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
0355d26b-bfa1-4de2-a953-e0772b398015 (old id 156179)
date added to LUP
2016-04-01 16:18:34
date last changed
2022-01-28 18:44:58
@article{0355d26b-bfa1-4de2-a953-e0772b398015,
  abstract     = {{When formulating a policy related to food in a heterogeneous context within a nation or between nations, oppositional positions are more or less explicit, but always have to be overcome. It is interesting to note, though, that such elements as culture and religion have seldom been the focus in discussions about methods of decision-making in food policy. To handle discrepancies between oppositional positions, one solution is to narrow differences between partners, another to accept one partner or position as dominant. In a solid and lasting policy, any of these options has to be agreed upon by all the partners involved. In this article, I argue that context sensitivity and a shared picture of the situation are necessary bases for a solid food policy. Two methods for policy discussion are elaborated on and religious slaughter is given as an example of a heterogeneous setting with strongly diverging ideals. Several aspects have to be respected from the outset, such as culture, religion, and value systems. This condition is partly met in a model of informed consent and in a consensus model. The informed consent model is regarded as insufficient, because it lacks both methods of dealing with hierarchies and the goal of finding a shared and nuanced picture of the situation. A consensus model meets these tasks but might on the other hand, among other things, be too difficult to follow and to administer. For both models, some difficulties with justification of decisions arise. Five essential elements emanating from a combination of these models are suggested as a basis for a decision process regarding food policies: respect for each discussion partner, context sensitivity, respect for arguments including emotions, a shared picture of the situation, and finally relating theory and practice.}},
  author       = {{Röcklinsberg, Helena}},
  issn         = {{1187-7863}},
  keywords     = {{context-dependent informed consent; consensus; decision-making; food policy; democracy; heterogeneous setting; religion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{285--299}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics}},
  title        = {{Consent and Consensus in Policies Reated to Food : Five Core Values}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10806-005-6166-y}},
  doi          = {{10.1007/s10806-005-6166-y}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2006}},
}