Abstract
Scholars call for unusual, visionary pathways forward to counter authoritarian control in situations of helplessness and inequality. Popular strategies for change in such contexts often call for large-scale state interventions achieved through party-line politics. This paper examines two groups that stopped the construction of industrial hog facilities in the United States and finds that rural emancipation comes through direct action, with the state as a secondary, rather than primary, vehicle for change. Pragmatic rural politics predicated on immediate concerns and pathways for action underscore effective protest against corporate agribusinesses. Those involved pursue ends rooted in their shared commitment to a livable and prosperous rural future.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 586-594 |
| Number of pages | 9 |
| Journal | Journal of Rural Studies |
| Volume | 82 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Feb 2021 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Farmers hold unrivaled ideological power over their communities, enabled in part by the support of corporate agribusinesses. When farmers diverge from the prevailing power apparatus, the severing of social ties can be a shock, but offset by the forging of new ties that cultivate reciprocity. Those involved in NOPE or RRRA interviewed for this piece said that their neighbors grew markedly closer thanks to their activities. A husband and wife farming duo explained the situation as follows:
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Keywords
- Agribusiness
- Authoritarian populism
- CAFOs
- Corporations
- Protest
- Rural emancipation
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Geography, Planning and Development
- Development
- Sociology and Political Science