Tensions in (Agri)Culture: The Negotiation of Environmental Dialectics at an Urban Farmers Market'

The following study shows how dialectal tensions in environmental discourse are negotiated and serve to create and sustain the culture of an urban farmers market. Using theories of cultural communication as both theoretical grounding and methodology, the author was able to identify and interpret the functions of tensions previously presented by scholars in the field of communication. The principal set of tensions used for data analysis is the three dialectics presented by Milstein (2009) — mastery/harmony, othering/connection, exploitation/idealism. Upon analysis of these dialectics, a reoccurring theme emerged — discursive tension between economic advancement and community advancement. Cultural discourse analysis points to ways in which the use of these dialectics and this reoccurring theme under tension not only create the culture at this market, but also work to sustain it by generating increased levels of attendance and participation.

Name thesis:degree_name

Communication

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Department of Communication and Journalism

Year

2013

Author dc:creator

• Boys, Jason

Contributors dc:contributor

• Milstein, Tema
• Hendry, Judith
• Agar, Michael
• Foss, Karen

• environmental communication
• ethnography of communication
• dialectics
• cultural discourse analysis

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/cj_etds/74

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalrepository.unm.edu:cj_etds-1073