Between Technocracy and Democracy: An Experimental Approach to Certification of Food Products by Japanese Consumer Cooperative Women

Autor/in	Kimura, Aya Hirata
Titel	Between Technocracy and Democracy: An Experimental Approach to Certification of Food Products by Japanese Consumer Cooperative Women
Quelle	In: Journal of Rural Studies, 26 (2010) 2, S.130-140 (11 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0743-0167
DOI	10.1016/j.jrurstud.2009.09.007
Schlagwörter	Certification; Food; Food Standards; Womens Studies; Cooperatives; Community Organizations; Community Involvement; Democratic Values; Foreign Countries; Consumer Science; Change Strategies; Experimental Programs; Quality Control; Japan + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Abschlusszeugnis; Zertifizierung; Lebensmittel; Lebensmittelgesetz; Genossenschaftswesen; Ausland; Lösungsstrategie; Erprobungsprogramm; Qualitätskontrolle
Abstract	Voluntary food certification systems have emerged as a prominent mechanism of food governance in recent years. However, critics have exposed certifications' inability to secure independence, quality, consumer trust, and costs. Recent criticism is even more pointed in that some theorists have critiqued "alternative" systems such as Fair Trade as neoliberal window-dressing. What is curious about this emerging literature is how little has been said about the role of citizens. Although most of the certification literature has assumed that food certification resides in the exclusive realm of "experts" and that technical sophistication is equated with improvement, I argue that democratization is possible and desirable. This paper draws on a case study of a Japanese consumer cooperative which has conducted a laywomen's food certification system for past ten years. By proposing at least two parameters of evaluation of food certification--redistributive effect and the degree of democratization, the paper expands the imaginary of "politics of the possible" in food governance while acknowledging tension of gendered participation. (Contains 3 tables.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10