Do butchers dream of post-animal beef? A discourse analysis of the protein transition in Spain
(2024) SGEM08 20241Department of Human Geography
- Abstract
- Currently, multiple environmental crises threaten to irreversibly alter the living conditions that humanity has enjoyed on Earth for millennia. One of the main activities that contribute to these worrying environmental issues is the production and consumption of meat, which also poses serious public health and ethical concerns. In order to tackle these issues, a strong case has been made for the need of a protein transition in high-income countries, which could be aided by the emergence of alternative protein innovations. Previous research on the protein transition has shown that meat incumbents’ behaviour is contradictory, varying from a neutral adoption of alternative proteins to a staunch opposition against them. Therefore, using Spain... (More)
- Currently, multiple environmental crises threaten to irreversibly alter the living conditions that humanity has enjoyed on Earth for millennia. One of the main activities that contribute to these worrying environmental issues is the production and consumption of meat, which also poses serious public health and ethical concerns. In order to tackle these issues, a strong case has been made for the need of a protein transition in high-income countries, which could be aided by the emergence of alternative protein innovations. Previous research on the protein transition has shown that meat incumbents’ behaviour is contradictory, varying from a neutral adoption of alternative proteins to a staunch opposition against them. Therefore, using Spain as a novel case study for the protein transition, this thesis departs from a multi-level perspective framework and, through an analysis of the discourses voiced publicly by actors from the meat and the alternative protein sectors, seeks to answer the following research question: How can discursive struggles around alternative proteins reveal (a) the socio-technical reconfigurations that are happening in the meat sector, and (b) the landscape factors that are affecting these reconfigurations? After performing the discourse analysis, the answers show (a) that the incumbents that more staunchly resist the upscaling of alternative proteins are livestock farmers, while meat processors are more keen to engage with these technologies; and (b) that the meta-discourses of ecological modernisation and livestock exceptionalism have a strong influence on the protein transition. The thesis thus also contributes to sustainability transition research more broadly, by calling for a more nuanced consideration of incumbents’ heterogeneity in reconfiguration processes and for an increased attention towards the relevance of landscape level meta-discourses. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9172426
- author
- Marquez Sanz, Daniel LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SGEM08 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- protein transition, alternative proteins, meat industry, livestock farming, sustainability transitions, multi-level perspective, discourse analysis, ecological modernisation, agricultural exceptionalism
- language
- English
- id
- 9172426
- date added to LUP
- 2024-08-28 09:37:30
- date last changed
- 2024-08-28 09:37:30
@misc{9172426, abstract = {{Currently, multiple environmental crises threaten to irreversibly alter the living conditions that humanity has enjoyed on Earth for millennia. One of the main activities that contribute to these worrying environmental issues is the production and consumption of meat, which also poses serious public health and ethical concerns. In order to tackle these issues, a strong case has been made for the need of a protein transition in high-income countries, which could be aided by the emergence of alternative protein innovations. Previous research on the protein transition has shown that meat incumbents’ behaviour is contradictory, varying from a neutral adoption of alternative proteins to a staunch opposition against them. Therefore, using Spain as a novel case study for the protein transition, this thesis departs from a multi-level perspective framework and, through an analysis of the discourses voiced publicly by actors from the meat and the alternative protein sectors, seeks to answer the following research question: How can discursive struggles around alternative proteins reveal (a) the socio-technical reconfigurations that are happening in the meat sector, and (b) the landscape factors that are affecting these reconfigurations? After performing the discourse analysis, the answers show (a) that the incumbents that more staunchly resist the upscaling of alternative proteins are livestock farmers, while meat processors are more keen to engage with these technologies; and (b) that the meta-discourses of ecological modernisation and livestock exceptionalism have a strong influence on the protein transition. The thesis thus also contributes to sustainability transition research more broadly, by calling for a more nuanced consideration of incumbents’ heterogeneity in reconfiguration processes and for an increased attention towards the relevance of landscape level meta-discourses.}}, author = {{Marquez Sanz, Daniel}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, title = {{Do butchers dream of post-animal beef? A discourse analysis of the protein transition in Spain}}, year = {{2024}}, }