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Constructing ‘Farmer’ and ‘State’ Identities in Moral Discourses about Semi-subsistence Agriculture in North-east Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 August 2015

KAREN PENNESI
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Abstract

Anthropological analysis elucidates how discourses about agriculture in one North-east Brazilian community reflect relational roles of citizens and the state, the position of farmers in society, and the relationship of individuals to their work. In these discourses, farmers are positioned as moral, hard-working, autonomous citizens, justifying their participation in low-paying activities. The declining numbers of agricultural workers is explained as a result of individual laziness or government irresponsibility. In using these discourses to take stances publicly on agricultural issues, speakers assign responsibilities and moral status to agents. In constructing rural identities, such moral discourses emphasise the symbolic value of subsistence agriculture as its economic value declines.

Spanish abstract

El análisis antropológico señala cómo los discursos acerca de la agricultura en una comunidad nordestina de Brasil reflejan los papeles relacionales de los ciudadanos y el estado, la posición de los agricultores en la sociedad, y las relaciones de individuos y sus trabajos. En estos discursos, los agricultores son ubicados como ciudadanos morales, autónomos, y muy trabajadores, lo que justifica el bajo ingreso de sus actividades. El declive del número de agricultores se explica como el resultado de la pereza individual o la irresponsabilidad gubernamental. Al usar esos discursos para tomar posiciones públicas sobre temas de agricultura, se asignan responsabilidades y estatus moral a los agentes. Al construir identidades rurales, dichos discursos morales enfatizan el valor simbólico de la agricultura de subsistencia mientras que su valor económico declina.

Portuguese abstract

A análise antropológica elucida a maneira pela qual os discursos sobre agricultura em uma comunidade do nordeste brasileiro refletem papéis relacionais dos cidadãos e do estado, a posição dos agricultores na sociedade, e a relação dos indivíduos com seu trabalho. Nestes discursos, agricultores são colocados como cidadãos morais, trabalhadores e autônomos, justificando suas participações em atividades de baixa remuneração. A redução do número de trabalhadores rurais é explicada como resultado de preguiça individual ou irresponsabilidade governamental. Utilizando-se desses discursos para posicionarem-se publicamente com relação a questões ligadas à agricultura, oradores atribuem responsabilidades e status moral aos agentes. Ao construir identidades rurais, estes discursos morais enfatizam o valor simbólico da agricultura de subsistência enquanto seu valor econômico declina.

Keywords

semi-subsistence agriculturemoral discoursediscourseidentity constructionNortheast Brazilagricultura de semi-subsistenciadiscursos moralesdiscursosconstrucción de identidadnoreste de Brasilagricultura de semi-subsistênciadiscursos moraisdiscursosconstrução da identidadenordeste brasileiro
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Latin American Studies , Volume 47 , Issue 4 , November 2015 , pp. 781 - 809
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Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2015 

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23 I was unable to obtain meaningful and consistent price data for corn, beans and rice produced in Ceará during the period 1994–2014 due to the change in currency and regional variation in commodity prices. I have therefore represented the farmers’ experience of price changes with a quote containing specific costs for typical commodities. See Averbug, André, ‘The Brazilian Economy in 1994–1999: From the Real Plan to Inflation Targets’, The World Economy, 25: 7 (2002), pp. 925–44CrossRefGoogle Scholar, for an explanation of the currency change with the Real Plan in the context of international trade liberalisation and subsequent inflation.

24 All names have been changed.

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42 While I focus on the discourse which portrays unemployed youth as immoral and unmotivated, not all older people express these beliefs. Moreover, many young people are employed and some are enthusiastic about farming. This discourse is, however, a prominent one when discussing work and one which several older adults employed in interviews.

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