AgriMyths – The Ethics and Economics of Modern Agricultural Myths

A striking feature of the food and fiber system, both worldwide and in Germany, is the controversial nature of public discourse about a range of issues including the role of small-scale farming, GMOs, and speculation with foodstuffs. This discourse is framed not only by extraordinarily rigid mental models (i.e., myths) but also by moral semantics. The proposal seeks to settle some of these controversies by combining the tools of ethical and economic analysis. Specific activities include the identification and ethical analysis of the extant agricultural myths, the political economy of NGOs involved in public discourse, the analysis of discourse distortions, as well as the economic assessment of farming systems- and GMO-related issues in the German context.

Partners

• Chair of Economic Ethics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg (MLU), Germany Website
• Centre for Business, Organisations and Society (CBOS), University of Bath, United Kingdom Website
• Leibniz Institute of Agricultural Development in Transition Economies (IAMO), Germany