Are We There Yet? Exploring Empowerment at the Microscale in the South African Wine Industry

Abstract

Empowerment is a standard but ambiguous element of development rhetoric and so, through the socially complex and contested terrain of South Africa, this paper explores its potential to contribute to inclusive development. Investigating micro-level engagements with the national strategy of Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) in the South African wine industry highlights the limitations, but also potential, of this single domain approach. However, latent paternalism, e t e hed i te ests a d a dislo ated la k ess ai tai a o ple a ial politi s that shapes oth power relations and the opportunities for transformation within the industry. Nonetheless, while B-BBEE may not, in reality, be broad-based its manifestations are contributing to challenging racist structures and normalising changing attitudes. This paper concludes that, to be transformative, empowerment needs to be re-embedded within South Africa as a multi-scalar, multi-dimensional dialogue and, while recognising the continuation of structural constraints, positions the local as the critical scale at which to initiate broader social change.

The Pursuit of Qualities by Peripheral Latecomers in the Agrofood Sectors: The Case of Erlin Wine Industry in Taiwan

“…This leaves a critical gap in our comprehension of the divergent approaches and processes through which latecomers, especially those in the agrofood sector, manage to achieve the creation of a viable late-developing industries. Specifically, we argue that, with a few exceptions (McEwan and Bek 2009;Ponte and Ewert 2009;Herman 2014;Staricco and Ponte 2015), studies in this realm often treat quality as a pre-given or well-defined target that can be effectively achieved by latecomers' technological efforts, failing to recognise the complex and socially constructed character of agrofood quality (Murdoch et al 2000;Goodman 2003;Harvey et al 2004) and the influences of agrofood actors' quality perception on their economic activities (Marsden and Arce 1995;Ilbery and Kneafsey 1999;Mansfield 2003;Harvey et al 2004;Lock et al 2019). In this regard, to provide satisfactory accounts on the late development of an agrofood industry may require answering critical questions about how and why certain agrofood latecomers arrive at specific quality conceptions underpinning their upgrading strategies and processes.…”

“…This leaves a critical gap in our comprehension of the divergent approaches and processes through which latecomers, especially those in the agrofood sector, manage to achieve the creation of a viable late‐developing industries. Specifically, we argue that, with a few exceptions (McEwan and Bek 2009; Ponte and Ewert 2009; Herman 2014; Staricco and Ponte 2015), studies in this realm often treat quality as a pre‐given or well‐defined target that can be effectively achieved by latecomers' technological efforts, failing to recognise the complex and socially constructed character of agrofood quality (Murdoch et al . 2000; Goodman 2003; Harvey et al .…”

Leveraging Nordic links: South African labour’s role in regulating labour standards in wine global production networks

“…In doing so the paper challenges a view that MSIs are restricted to 'soft power' approaches to regulation favoured by capital. In making this point the paper draws on John Allen's understanding that power cannot be owned/possessed, and instead emerges from relations between groups and individuals (Allen, 2003;Herman, 2014Herman, : 1929. Depending on the outcome of interactions (i.e.…”

Leveraging social capital of the church for development: A case study of a farming community in Wellington

“…Empowerment is meant to develop agency and capabilities to participate in, change and hold accountable those individuals and organisations that impact one's life (Herman 2014(Herman :1929.…”