The contaminated risk of GM crops: nationalism and the genetic modification debate

Abstract

This paper examines the UK press coverage of genetically modified crops within the EU and explores how the theme of nationalism is utilized within the genetic modification (GM) debate. The way in which the EU is represented shifts, depending on whether it is being described in relation to the UK or the rest of the world (usually the USA). The EU is placed either as a threat to the UK, forcing genetically modified organisms into the country, or as a barrier, protecting UK citizens from the corrupt forces of the USA. This paper focuses on how countries and continents are constructed as being free of genetically modified organisms and how notions of nationalism and purity are used to achieve this. It argues that the way in which genetic modification is discussed often leads to an inherent but unintended xenophobic discourse. It is not just the mixing of genes that we are told to fear; the mixing of peoples is also alluded to. This paper explores the ways in which risks can be merged, as genetic modification specifically becomes linked to the asylum debate. Finally, the paper will discuss the dangers of contaminating the genetic modification debate with xenophobic arguments. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

“Gene-fouled or gene-improved?” Media framing of GM crops and food in Hungary

“…In contrast to what has been found for the UK coverage (Augoustinos et al 2010, Cook et al 2006, Hughes 2005, Hughes et al 2008, in the Hungarian press portrayal of GM: demonstrations were a marginal topic, the public and government were presented as having the same view on the GM issue, the topic was not connected to the political issues of mass migration, terrorism or Iraq, and the symbolism of Frankenstein (or other references to science fiction) was basically absent.…”

“…there was frequent use of battlefield metaphors: disputes were often referred to as "wars" or "battle", an activity called an "attack" or an "invasion" (Cook et al 2006); nationalistic arguments were present in several ways: a cluster of metaphors was connected to impurity, contamination -which linked the topic with xenophobia and debates on immigration and asylum-seeking (Cook et al 2006, Hughes 2005;…”

“…the EU was represented either as a "threat to the UK, forcing genetically modified organisms into the country" -or as a "barrier, protecting UK citizens from the corrupt forces of the USA" (Hughes 2005, p. 251);…”

“…There is by now abundant social scientific research on GM related topics, and a number of writings have appeared which contain systematic analysis of the media portrayal of GMOs (Augoustinos et al 2010, Bauer 2005, Bauer et al 2001, Cook et al 2006, Hughes 2005, Hughes et al 2008, Kohring and Matthes, 2002, Maeseele and Schuurman 2008, Maltese-Nehrbass et al 2006, Marks et al 2007, Nisbet and Huge 2006, ParalesQuenza 2004, Priest and Eyck 2003, Vilella-Vila and Costa-Font 2008. Research results have been reported from a range of countries: with some countries, such as the UK and US, being overrepresented, while others are underrepresented in the major international literature.…”

The effect of knowledge types on consumer‐perceived risk and adoption of genetically modified foods

“…Consumers have been eating GM food for some time without knowing it (CSIRO, 2002;Falk et al, 2002;Hoban, 2002), and no human has been harmed by GM food (CSIRO, 2002;"Dinner party hell," 2004;"Strategies to avoid," 2004). However, many consumers remain extremely apprehensive of GM products, particularly in Europe, where opposition is so strong that the United States recently pursued a case against the European Union through the World Trade Organization over its reluctance to import GM food (Global Information Network, 2004;"Keep Europe GM-free," 2004/2005"U.S.-EU summit," 2004). Furthermore, press articles report on protests, state and community petitions, and votes to reject the growth and development of GM organisms in various areas, including Brazil, the European Union, New Zealand, Singapore, and even the United States.…”