Reclaiming the Knowledge Economy : The Case of Alternative Agro-Food Networks

"This book offers a critical analysis of the diverse knowledge and knowledge production processes through which 'alternative agro-food networks' can constitute a more plural 'knowledge economy.' It provides critical sociological and political economic insights that help problematise dominant capitalocentric and technocentric framings of the 'knowledge (bio)economy.' It will appeal to researchers, practitioners and policy-makers with an interest in supporting inclusive research, policy and innovation agendas for sustainability."-- publisher Preface and Acknowledgements Contents Chapter 1: Introduction: Bringing Together Alternative Agro-Food Networks and the Knowledge Economy: Why This Study, Why Now? A Few First Words Alternative Agro-Food Networks: Definitions, Theories and Perspectives Bringing Together Alternative Agro-Food Networks and Knowledge-Based Economies A Snapshot of the Book References Chapter 2: Re-inventing Capitalism Through the Knowledge Economy Knowledge and Labour in Contemporary Economies Knowledge Economy: Framing Knowledge and Labour in Contemporary Economies The Knowledge-based Bioeconomy: Capitalising Knowledge and Life The KBBE in Practice: The Case of the Agro-Food Sector The KBBE Narrative: Between Truth, Promise and Hype Conclusions References Chapter 3: Understanding the Ago-Food Economy as a Knowledge Economy Science, Explicit and Tacit Forms of Knowledge: A Clash or Co-production? Knowledges and Knowledge Production in the Knowledge-based Economy Knowledge and Knowledge Production in Agricultural Systems Knowledge in Pre-industrial Agriculture: The Dominance of Tacit Knowledge Knowledge in Industrial Agriculture: The Emergence of Science Knowledge and Late Industrial Agriculture: Towards a Co-existence of Tacit and Explicit Knowledge The Case of Organic Agriculture and Beyond Intermediary Summary: Re-thinking Knowledge Production in Agriculture The Agro-food Economy as a Knowledge Economy? Grounds for the AAFNs as a KBBE: Some Preliminary Remarks References Chapter 4: Researching Alternative Agro-Food Networks in the Aftermath of the Knowledge Economy The British Agrifood Landscape in the Aftermath of the Knowledge Economy The British Alternative Agrifood Landscape in the Aftermath of the Knowledge Economy The Northwest of England: Cumbria and Manchester Alternative Agro-Food Networks in Cumbria and Manchester Researching Alternative Agro-Food Networks: Enacting Alternative Knowledge (Bio)Economies? References Chapter 5: Re-Thinking the Knowledge Economy Through Alternative Agro-Food Networks Knowledge Production in the Alternative Agro-Food Networks of Northwest England Science and the Alternative Agro-Food Sector Knowledge Production at the Agro-Food Production Site: Science and Beyond Knowledge Production at the Distribution Site Knowledge Production at the Consumption Site Alternative Agro-Food Networks and the Knowledge Economy Knowledge Production in AAFNs Knowledge Production in AAFNs and the Knowledge Economy: A Comparative Perspective References Chapter 6: Conclusions: Reclaiming the Knowledge Economy The Argument So Far Reclaiming the Knowledge Economy: The Agro-Food Sector and Beyond References References Index