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Mikael Klintman

Mikael Klintman

Professor

Mikael Klintman

Arguments Surrounding Organic and Genetically Modified Food Labelling: A Few Comparisons

Author

  • Mikael Klintman

Summary, in English

This paper compares reasoning surrounding organic food labelling with arguments concerning mandatory GM labelling. Focus is placed on argumentative cross-overs, defined as cases where actors or organizations use a certain type of argumentation for one issue (for example, modes of food production), and shift into using their opponent's type of argumentation for a closely related issue (for example, food labelling). The paper is a textual analysis of the arguments across non-governmental organizations, scientists, policy-makers and corporations. Argumentative cross-overs are not only of theoretical interest. They run the risk of, for instance, making consumers assume that all struggles for 'stricter food labelling' will lead to more reliable labelling information and to a higher level of consumer empowerment. It is important to call for more nuanced descripticns of food labelling, and to make the public aware of the cross-overs, which often involve vast exaggerations of what food labelling can, or cannat, tell us.

Department/s

  • Sociology

Publishing year

2002

Language

English

Pages

247-259

Publication/Series

Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning

Volume

4

Issue

3

Document type

Journal article

Publisher

Routledge

Topic

  • Other Social Sciences

Keywords

  • cross-over
  • critical realism
  • epistemic relativism

Status

Published

ISBN/ISSN/Other

  • ISSN: 1523-908X