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More than just fashionable foods - the importance of the Social Sciences in organic research

Matt Reed
March 2004

This paper is concerned with the role of the social sciences in furthering the understanding of organic agriculture and food. It argues that the contemporary understanding of the social impacts of organic farming has been systematically underdeveloped in preference to establishing a grounding in the physical sciences. Whilst acknowledging the importance of this project, this paper traces the development of the social scientific knowledge about the organic sector and argues for its extension. Beginning with the early projects in the sociology of science the paper follows the development of research about the social consequences of organic farming through economics and marketing towards contemporary rural sociology. The paper concludes by arguing that the future support for organic farming will rest on the social benefits that it may bring to rural people and rural communities, and that without understanding what the social impacts are a compelling case is unlikely to be made. It suggests that until the economic and social consequences of organic farming are more fully understood, then the discussion of moving organic agriculture to a 'fair trade' or 'no sweat' status are premature. These developments whilst laudable in themselves would be strengthened by an in-depth understanding of the social impact of organic farming as it is at the present time. Referring to a wide range of contemporary literature, this paper seeks to engage those interested in organic agriculture in considering the social importance of it.