Alimentos transgénicosfactores culturales que explican su aceptación o rechazo

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to analyse both acceptance and rejection of Genetically Modified Food (GMF) on different population sectors from a socio-cultural point of view. Correspondingly, awareness, attention/interest and four main cultural factors: ideal, socio-political, techno-economic and ecological factors, are taken as explicative causes. Hence, this approach tries to reach a better understanding of people's beliefs and attitudes toward this novel food. The methodology used in this project is inspired by recent progress produced in social sciences on mixed-methods. It is an interdisciplinary strategy research that allows us to reach the main aim of this project: deeper knowledge of reasons for rejection and acceptance of transgenic food. We will combine qualitative and quantitative techniques, as well as systematic comparison. Using these methods, we will obtain data of a different nature that will enrich the final results. The use of this methodology will guarantee a complete and comprehensible view of transgenic food. The qualitative technique used consists of 17 deep ethnographic interviews of different social group members: farmers, biotechnologists, consumers and nutritional sector workers, among others, in order to obtain both British and Spanish social perceptions towards GMF. Secondly, regarding quantitative techniques, student perceptions from Oxford Brookes University and Murcia University are collected by means of a questionnaire based on 27 items. In both cases, students from the Humanities and Science departments are used for the sample. Bar charts and contingency tables are used as main descriptive analysis to present the results of this technique. Lastly, we use comparative techniques. Thus, the comparison and contrast techniques enrich this research as both qualitative and quantitative, providing a data set referring to the four factors that explain cultural principles that rule the nutritional behaviours of social group members when it comes to accepting or rejecting GMF. Once the results of the study are presented, I'll conclude by drawing the main conclusions summarised below. Genetic engineering is now one of the most promising areas given the good range of opportunities it can offer for human beings. In this thesis, the main purpose is to address the reasons why society either accepts or rejects one of its more controversial applications: Genetically Modified Food. Therefore, results obtained throughout the methodology explained before, clearly expose the principal role the four factors play when explaining those reasons. Four factors that are tightly woven together due to the circular causation principle. In addition, awareness is included in this research as another potential predisposing factor. In summary, an open and controversial debate still remains on GMF and it seems that the discovery of new DNA-editing techniques (CRISPR) may worsen the situation. Hence, in this socio-cultural background/context human health, population growth, climate change, globalization, sustainability and national sovereignty need to be considered when talking about food production and distribution if we really want to cope with future food security and safety problems that creation, farming and marketing of GMF are causing at the global level.