Journal or Publishing Institution: Environmental Communication
Study: http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17524032.2016.1198823?journalCode=renc20
Author(s): Lamphere, J.A. and East, E.A.
Article Type: Journal Publication
Record ID: 1355
Abstract: Since the first product became commercially available in 1995, biotechnology has become the fastest growing crop technology, dominating large shares of the global agricultural market. The development of biotechnology, however, has given rise to questions regarding human and ecological safety, culminating in local and global political battles. While researchers interested in biotech politics have focused on areas such as media framing, social movements, and campaign work, less attention has been paid to how the industry has historically promoted and legitimized this swift proliferation. In this study, we conduct a discourse analysis of documents available on live and archived websites to discern the legitimation strategies employed by one important corporate actor, Monsanto. Findings show that for nearly two decades, Monsanto consistently employed discursive resources that concealed details about actors and action, reflected trends among experts in global sustainability discourse, and reshaped narratives to promote itself, products, and biotechnology in general.
Citation: Lamphere, J.A. and East, E.A., 2017. Monsanto’s biotechnology politics: Discourses of legitimation. Environmental Communication, 11(1), pp.75-89.
