by Saara Kupsala
It is common to note the contradictory character of citizens’ or consumers’ perceptions of animals raised and slaughtered for food: these animals are assigned with emotions and personalities, but they are also treated as mere commodities in daily eating practices. This paper focuses on contradictory constructions of animals in consumer discourses, examining how these contradictions are reflected on and disputed in focus group discussions on food practices. The focus groups include participants engaged in food consumption practices in differing ways – gastronomes, hunters, vegans/vegetarians, organic consumers, regular supermarket shoppers, and active members of a home economics organisation. When analysing contradictions, I focus on three themes: conflictual perceptions of the meat-centric food culture and meat-eating as a socially produced norm; encountering or hiding the killing of animals; and finally, encountering animals as persons or commodities. Based on these themes, I reflect on the questions of empathy, visibility and moral categorization in people’s moral responses to animals in the context of food consumption.
Biography:
I am a doctoral student in Environmental Policy at the University of Eastern Finland. My doctoral dissertation concerns citizens’ and consumers’ attitudes and perceptions about animals used in agricultural and food industries.
E-mail: saara.kupsala@environment.fi
https://uef.academia.edu/SaaraKupsala
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