LE3 .A278 2009

2009

Biro, Andrew

Acadia University

Bachelor of Arts

Honours

Political Science

Politics

The replacement of nature with industry in the food production calculus has led to the entrenchment of a dangerous, but seemingly entrenched entity that is the industrial agricultural paradigm. With an ever.growing discourse on the social, economic, and ecological dangers of the contemporary preference of agribusiness over agriculture, a general consensus on the need for change to the agricultural paradigm is emerging. But how do you act against such a pervasive entity that is industrial agriculture? How can such a dominant knowledge be challenged from within? This thesis revisits the formulation of the problem; first employing the tools of political ecology to develop a richer context for the development of the industrial agricultural tatus quo and second using the .hows. of Actor Network Theory to emancipate the activist from the paralysis of the initial paradox. An investigation into the Black Panthers. Free Breakfast for Children Program of the 1960s and the Acadia Community Farm in 208 Wolfville, Nova Scotia reveals that through focusing on the socioecological foundations of the relations between human, nature, food, agriculture and change, local action becomes the most effective tactic against the falsely global systems of agripolitical violence.

The author retains copyright in this thesis. Any substantial copying or any other actions that exceed fair dealing or other exceptions in the Copyright Act require the permission of the author.

https://scholar.acadiau.ca/islandora/object/theses:632