In recent years, the bioeconomy has emerged as a key policy idea in liberal western states. This paper analyses the bioeconomy as a state strategy. By building on theoretical strands by Poulantzas, Moore, and Cast an Broto, the paper argues that the bioeconomy has to be understood simultaneously as an accumulation strategy within the capitalist world-ecology and as a transformative agenda through which tensions in the state space can be governed. The politics of bioeconomy do not concern its outright endorsement or rejection but the ways its contradictions are interpreted and articulated. The empirical part of the paper scrutinises the bioeconomy strategy adopted in Finland. Our main concern is that the bioeconomy strategy has been appropriated by the traditional forest industries in such a way that fails to address the problem of uneven development and ignores the potential of the bioeconomy as part of a transformative agenda.Abstrakti: Biotaloudesta on viime vuosina muodostunut maailmanlaajuisesti vaikutusvaltainen politiikka-aloite. T€ ass€ a artikkelissa tarkastelemme biotaloutta valtiostrategiana Poulantzasin, Mooren ja Cast an Broton teoreettisten avausten avulla. V€ aitteemme on, ett€ a biotalous tulee ymm€ art€ a€ a samanaikaisesti sek€ a kapitalistiseen maailmanekologiaan sitoutuneena kasvustrategiana ett€ a potentiaalisena muutosagendana, jonka kautta pyrit€ a€ an muuttamaan talouden materiaalista perustaa sek€ a hallitsemaan valtiotilan ristiriitoja. Poliittisesti kysymys biotaloudesta tulisi ymm€ art€ a€ a sen lukuisiin ristiriitoihin sis€ altyvien tulkintamahdollisuuksien kautta. Tapaustutkimuksemme on Suomen biotalousstrategia. N€ akemyksemme mukaan Suomessa biotalous palvelee mets€ asektorin erityisintressej€ a tavalla, joka est€ a€ a biotalouden laajemman, ep€ atasaista aluekehityst€ a ja ymp€ arist€ oongelmia koskevan, muutospotentiaalin toteutumista. Tarkastelemalla biotalouden ajallisia, teknologisia ja tilallisia ristiriitoja pyrimme osoittamaan, ett€ a biotalous mahdollistaa useita kehityspolkuja. N€ aiden toteutuminen edellytt€ a€ a kuitenkin biotalouden k€ asitteen politisoimista ja sen sis€ all€ on uudelleenm€ a€ arittely€ a.
In this paper we draw on the work of Doreen Massey and David Harvey and think with the concept of spatial structure. We divide the concept into three constitutive elements: uneven geographical development (materiality), the discursive production of spatial structures (semiosis) and collective politics of spatial structure (experience). We conclude our argument with the concept of relational inequality and a call for rigorous examination of the history and current development of spatial structures in Finland and elsewhere from the perspective of the threefold conceptual frame presented in the paper.
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