This book adopts a neo-Marxist and Gramscian approach to studying the political economy of the agricultural and food system in Thailand (1990-2014). The author argues that hegemonic forces have many measures to co-opt dissent into hegemonic structures, and that counter-hegemony should be seen as an ongoing process over a long period of time where predominantly counter-hegemonic forces, constrained by political economic structural conditions, may at times retain some hegemonic elements. Contrary to what some academic studies suggest, the author argues that localist-inspired social movements in Thailand are not insular and anti-globalisation.
The mainstream agri-food system in Thailand has been shaped to aid capital accumulation by domestic and transnational hegemonic forces, and is currently sustained through hegemonic agri-food production-distribution, governance structures and ideational order. However, sustainable agriculture and land reform movements have to certain extents managed to offer alternatives. This book adopts a neo-Marxist and Gramscian approach to studying the political economy of the agricultural and food system in Thailand (1990-2014). The author argues that hegemonic forces have many measures to co-opt dissent into hegemonic structures, and that counter-hegemony should be seen as an ongoing process over a long period of time where predominantly counter-hegemonic forces, constrained by political economic structural conditions, may at times retain some hegemonic elements. Contrary to what some academic studies suggest, the author argues that localist-inspired social movements in Thailand are not insular and anti-globalisation. Instead, they are selective in fostering collaborations and globalisation based on values such as sustainability, fairness and partnership. Providing new perspectives on polarised politics in Thailand, particularly how cross-class alliances can further or frustrate counter-hegemonic movements, the book points to the importance of analysing social movements in relation to established political authority. It will be of interest to academics in the field of Politics and International Relations, Sociology, Development Studies and Asian Studies.
This book is the first to document the reform of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) and to analyse the political and economic factors which determined the outcome of the negotiations. The policy (non-)reform will affect the world's global food security and agricultural ...
There has long been considerable debate about the nature of non-Western IR theory. Most attempts to understand such a phenomenon begin by taking a top-down approach on a country by country basis. Instead, this book takes a bottom-up approach, involving specialists from a range of Thai universities, revealing the contours of the Thai IR community. It examines the state of various sub-fields under the IR rubric in Thailand such as foreign policy analysis, security studies, international political economy and area studies, and how Thai thinkers in these fields have contributed to IR as a discipline and IR theory development in Thailand. In doing so, it identifies factors unique to Thai academia which have hindered the development of an indigenous-sourced theory as well as exploring the similarities shared with other non-Western contexts that have posed an obstacle to the creation of a more general non-Western IR theory. Providing both an in-depth insight into the specific phenomena of Thai IR theory, and a broader perspective on the challenges of formulating non-Western IR theory, this book aims to push the debate on non-Western IR theory forward. It will be of particular interest to readers looking for a better understanding of IR theory in Thailand, but also for those more generally looking to formulate and characterise non-Western approaches to the discipline.
The subject of policy analysis in Thailand is less examined than in Western societies. This is the first English-language book to engage in a detailed, comprehensive and current study of policy analysis in Thailand. Providing a broad view of history, styles and methods, it examines policy analysis both within and beyond executive government, revealing the role of parties, the military and interest groups. It will be a valuable resource for policy analysis researchers and practitioners, and as a comparison with other volumes in the International Library of Policy Analysis series.
First published in 1999, this collection of papers represents the latest thinking on the effects of globalisation and agri-food restructuring from a regional and peripheral perspective. The book breaks new ground in our understanding of the relationship between the global, regional and local levels in the sphere of agri-food production. While Australia and New Zealand are important components of the agri-food system, the economic and political decisions which impact at the regional and local level are usually made elsewhere - often in the boardrooms of global companies and the political institutions of Europe and North America. At the same time, however, Australia and New Zealand have sought to establish some independent room for manoeuvre. In Australia this can be seen in the targeting of consumers in South East Asia, and New Zealand has experienced both sweeping deregulation and niche marketing of goods such as organic produce. The success or failure of these strategies cannot currently be determined, but this invaluable collection presents and discusses some possible future scenarios. Featuring 31 specialists in sociology, geography, social anthropology, veterinary science, environmental studies and sustainable development, it is a product of the Agri-Food Research Network. The volume includes 19 essays which attempt to conceptualise a series of global trends and their local ramifications, explore Australian and New Zealand experiences of agri-food restructuring in historic, ideological and discursive terms, and analyse local policy and politics and the influence on rural producers, along with studying four key concepts underpinning agri-food research and the possibilities for their application in new areas. .
Agrifood systems in Asia and the Pacific can be strengthened by tapping on agrifood-tourism linkages. When tourism and agrifood systems interact, both synergies and competition appear. Agriculture and tourism compete between themselves and other sectors for land, water, labour, capital, and transport and logistics services. Cross-sectoral synergies arise when agriculture and tourism influence each other through their respective demand conditions and changes in the enabling environment. These cross-sectoral synergies can be instrumental in strengthening agrifood systems in the region and addressing interlinked crises in the post-pandemic era.Governments across Asia and the Pacific have acknowledged the potential of tapping into agrifood- tourism linkages to advance sustainable development in both urban (food tourism) and rural areas (mostly agricultural tourism), and are implementing efforts to develop this subsector.Agrifood-tourism linkages can create income-generating opportunities for farmers and tourism operators, boost employment and stimulate overall economic growth, promote the development of sustainable agrifood systems, prevent rural youth outmigration and help preserve culinary and agricultural heritage.This publication guides policymakers in the region in the preparation of a strategic plan aimed at developing agrifood tourism and the tourism food value chain as drivers of sustainable development. The successful positioning of a country or location as a culinary or agricultural tourism destination and the creation of synergies between the agriculture and tourism sectors requires a shared vision and coordination between policymakers, destination managers, tourism and agrifood businesses, chefs, farmers and other key stakeholders.
Poverty alleviation is a major objective of development. More than a fifth of the world's population lives in absolute poverty, and the majority of the poor live in rural areas. This volume studies what can be done for alleviating rural poverty. Four chapters address the measurement of poverty and inequality, including the use of household expenditure surveys and intra-household income distribution. Evidence is presented for India, Mauritania, Cte d'Ivoire and China. Other chapters present case studies on strategies for rural development: provision of rural credit in Bangladesh and India; technical change in Philippine agriculture; contract farming in Thailand; and banana growers in the Windwards. The contributions introduce the problems of rural development and show that effective rural development is assisted by investment in education and secure access to credit; that equity is important for incentives but not directly related to poverty; and that technical and institutional reform are essential, but require careful design and implementation.
'There should be a good market for this book. The topic is very timely and a major theme of the new World Development Report 2008. The editors and contributors are world class.'Derek Byerlee, World Bank'This is a topic of wide interest and high policy importance. The depth of coverage and excellent synthesis should ensure that the book will have a substantial market in high-level undergraduate and graduate courses in agricultural development. It will have a solid readership among development economists and policy makers as well.'Mark Rosegrant, International Food Policy Research InstituteThe driving forces of income growth, demographic shifts, globalization and technical change have led to a reorganization of food systems from farm to plate. The characteristics of supply chains - particularly the role of supermarkets - linking farmers have changed, from consumption and retail to wholesale, processing, procurement and production. This has had a dramatic effect on smallholder farmers, particularly in developing countries. This book presents a comprehensive framework for assessing the impacts of changing agri-food systems on smallholder farmers, recognizing the importance of heterogeneity between developing countries as well as within them. The book includes a number of case studies from Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe, which are used to illustrate differences in food systems' characteristics and trends. The country case studies explore impacts on the small farm sector across different countries, local contexts and farm types.Published with FAO
