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de H.J. Haan

Bio: de H.J. Haan is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Rural sociology & Rural area. The author has an hindex of 3, co-authored 5 publications receiving 180 citations.

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01 Jan 1999

121 citations

Book
01 Jan 1994
TL;DR: In this article, the authors present a study on the relationship between the sociaal-cultureel systeem and the verwantschaps-and gezinsbanden in the Oosten van Nederland.
Abstract: IN ONTWIKKELDE MARKTECONOMIEEN wordt de landbouw hoofdzakelijk beoefend op relatief kleine gezinsbedrijven. Arbeids- en bezitsverhoudingen berusten op verwantschaps- en gezinsbanden. De externe produktieverhoudingen, daarentegen, worden gekenmerkt door nauwe bindingen met markten. Deze tegenstelling vormt het uitgangspunt van een studie, die gericht is op de vraag wat de consequenties hiervan zijn voor het handelen en denken van boerenfamilies. Deze thematiek wordt vanuit een aantal theoretische en empirische invalshoeken belicht. Op de eerste plaats wordt een theoretische verhandeling gewijd aan de verhouding tussen verwantschap en economie. Dit mondt uit in een pleidooi om het gezinsbedrijf te beschouwen als een sociaal-cultureel systeem, waarbinnen actoren vanuit een specifieke culturele achtergrond vorm geven aan hun sociale verhoudingen en handelen. De politiek-economische context is slechts van invloed in combinatie met culturele factoren. Het karakter van op verwantschap gebaseerde produktieverhoudingen wordt voorts geanalyseerd via verervingspatronen. Transacties binnen de groep van verwanten worden hoofdzakelijk gestructureerd door het lokale statussysteem en verwantschapsopvattingen. Centraal staat de vraag in hoeverre deze traditionele noties veranderen onder druk van commercialisering en modernisering. Aan het eind van de negentiende eeuw werd in Nederland veel aandacht besteed aan de vererving van grondbezit. Men verwachtte destijds dat het erfrecht op den duur tot de ondergang van de boerenstand zou leiden. Voor het eerst werd toen gewezen op de weerbarstigheid van lokale gewoonten, die ondanks een uniforme wetgeving en toenemende commercialisering niet van wijken wisten. Vooral de lokale gewoonten in het Oosten van Nederland stonden in de belangstelling. Na de Tweede Wereldoorlog veranderde de aard van het debat rondom de generatiewisseling. Meer aandacht ging uit naar de economische levensvatbaarheid, terwijl de rol van familie en verwantschapsrelaties uit het oog werd verloren. Dit gegeven wordt onderzocht aan de hand van een analyse van het politieke en sociologische discours over het gezinsbedrijf. Het laatste gedeelte van dit proefschrift, bevat een analyse van verervingspatronen in een Twentse boerengemeenschap. Aan de hand van archiefbronnen en veldwerk wordt getracht de verandering over een lange tijdsduur in kaart te brengen. Er blijkt sprake te zijn van een hoge mate van continuiteit. De grondprincipes van de vererving van het boerenbedrijf verschilden aan het eind van de jaren tachtig maar weinig van die in het midden van de negentiende eeuw. Dit blijkt onder andere uit het feit dat de ongedeelde hoeve nog steeds centraal staat. De vraag in hoeverre deze gang van zaken door de niet-opvolgende kinderen bezwaarlijk wordt gevonden, leidt tot een verhandeling over het contextuele karakter van familie- transacties. Gelijkheid en ongelijkheid kunnen niet begrepen worden met gangbare economische begrippen, maar moeten gekoppeld worden aan een lokaal waarden-systeem, waarin materiele- en niet materiele zaken op een ingenieuze wijze tegen elkaar worden afgewogen.

51 citations


Cited by
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Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors argue for a much morenuanced and complex understanding of the relationships between conventional and alternative food chains and their implications for rural development, and highlight the need to explore the competitive relationships that alternative food networks have with the conventional sector to expose power imbalance.
Abstract: Inthispaper,wedeveloptheburgeoningresearchagendaonalternativefood networks in Europe. Through the concept of ‘embeddedness’, we argue for a muchmorenuancedandcomplexunderstandingoftherelationshipsbetween conventional and alternative food chains—and, by extension, of their implications for rural development. Rather than viewing alternative and conventionalfoodnetworksasseparatespheres,weseethemashighlycompetitive and as relational to one another and argue for the need to examine the links morecritically.Inparticular,wehighlighttheneedtoexplorethecompetitive relationships that alternative food networks have with the conventional sector to expose power imbalances and the effect these may have on wider rural development processes.

634 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The international organic agriculture and fair trade movements represent importantchallenges to the ecologically and sociallydestructive relations that characterize the global agro-food system as discussed by the authors, and the success of these movements is perhaps better judged by their ability tochallenge the abstract capitalist relations that fuelexploitation in the global agriculture system.
Abstract: The international organic agricultureand fair trade movements represent importantchallenges to the ecologically and sociallydestructive relations that characterize the globalagro-food system. Both movements critique conventionalagricultural production and consumption patterns andseek to create a more sustainable world agro-foodsystem. The international organic movement focuses onre-embedding crop and livestock production in ``naturalprocesses,'' encouraging trade in agriculturalcommodities produced under certified organicconditions and processed goods derived from thesecommodities. For its part, the fair trade movementfosters the re-embedding of international commodityproduction and distribution in ``equitable socialrelations,'' developing a more stable and advantageoussystem of trade for agricultural and non-agriculturalgoods produced under favorable social andenvironmental conditions. The international market forboth organic and fair trade products has grownimpressively in recent years. Yet the success of thesemovements is perhaps better judged by their ability tochallenge the abstract capitalist relations that fuelexploitation in the global agro-food system. While theorganic movement currently goes further in revealingthe ecological conditions of production and the fairtrade movement goes further in revealing the socialconditions of production, there are signs that the twomovements are forging a common ground in definingminimum social and environmental requirements. I arguefrom a theoretical and empirical basis that what makesfair trade a more effective oppositional movement isits focus on the relations of agro-food trade anddistribution. By demystifying global relations ofexchange and challenging market competitiveness basedsolely on price, the fair trade movement creates aprogressive opening for bridging the wideningNorth/South divide and for wresting control of theagro-food system away from oligopolistic transnationalcorporations infamous for their socially andenvironmentally destructive business practices.

579 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The authors argue that analytical concern in agrofood studies has focused overwhelmingly on the production "moment" in these circuits, despite the lessons of numerous 'food scares', anti-GMO movements and the mad cow disease pandemic.
Abstract: What does the rise of organic food as a social phenomenon mean politically? What political impact does this form of consumption have on society? Is it a small and unimportant “blip” in the overall march of globalized, industrialized food and rationalized consumption systems. Is it even, perhaps, complicit in this process? Or is it a radical break ? The array of answers to these questions forms the “production–consumption debate” currently taking place in the examination of agro–food systems. If agro–food networks are conceptualized as interactive, socio–ecological metabolic circuits linking agricultural nature, social labor, the corporeal and the symbolic, then this paper argues that analytical concern in agrofood studies has focused overwhelmingly on the production ‘moment’ in these circuits. Despite the lessons of numerous ‘food scares’, anti–GMO movements and the mad cow disease pandemic, an asymmetry now holds sway in agro–food studies between production and consumption even though in other fields, as Jackson (1999) notes, consumption has been “duly acknowledged” (p. 95). As this asymmetry is addressed, a contemporary reformulation of the ‘agrarian question’ might investigate the potential for new forms of progressive food politics, ranging from ‘weak’ struggles over the modes of social orderings, such as knowledge systems, to more formal alliances between producers and consumers

461 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive study of the California organic sector is presented, where the authors argue that agribusiness involvement does more than create a soft path of sustainability - or "organic lite"; the conditions set by processes of agro-industrialization undermine the ability of even the most committed producers to practice a truly alternative form of organic farming.
Abstract: Based on a comprehensive study of the California organic sector, this article responds to the conventionalization debate on organic farming that surfaced after the publication of Buck et al. in 1997 in this journal. First, it addresses the place of California within the international organic sector, justifying its importance as a case study. As an empirical point, it documents the form and extent of agribusiness involvement in California's organic sector and provides place-specific explanations as to how it articulated with the previously existing organic sector. It also considers how agribusiness has influenced organic production, in rule-setting, inter-sectoral dynamics, and agronomic practices. The argument is that agribusiness involvement does more than create a soft path of sustainability - or ‘organic lite’; the conditions set by processes of agro-industrialization undermine the ability of even the most committed producers to practice a truly alternative form of organic farming. This trajectory is not inevitable, however, and largely turns on the sort of state support given to organic farming.

428 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors identify a continuum of buyers ranging from mission-driven enterprises that uphold alternative ideas and practices based on social, ecological, and place-based commitments, to quality-driven firms that selectively foster Fair Trade conventions to ensure reliable supplies of excellent coffee, to market-driven corporations that largely pursue commercial/industrial conventions rooted in price competition and product regulation.

347 citations