Overview

Editors:

Marion Bannister and Karen Bell
Centre for Rural Social Research
Charles Sturt University, NSW

This edition of Rural Society focuses on the interaction between globalisation and policy in rural society, particularly in the field of agribusiness. Specifically, each of the articles offers a view of how globalisation is affecting the policies which are restructuring the agrifood system.

Sivak, Fitzgerald and Campbell investigate the issues and the negative public opinion surrounding genetically modified food. Russel considers the impact of globalisation and the commercialisation of research, particularly involving gene technology, in the sugar industry.

Dunn and Wolfe look at the tensions involved in planning agricultural education when social and environmental sustainability issues confront Australian agriculture. Gray and Lawrence focus on explicit policy changes as they see the neoliberalism accompanying globalisation moving policy in directions which threaten the sustainability of regional communities. Fitzgerald and Campbell look at the policy debate about organic food, food labelling and food safety

This collection of articles is a valuable addition to research of globalisation and policy in rural society and can enrich our understanding of the ongoing debate about genetically modified food and organic food.

Table of Contents

Agriculture, Food and Public Policy Issues for a New Century

Editorial
Marion Bannister, Karen Bell

Introduction
Ian Gray

Underlying it all: Faceless landscapes and commodified views
Ruth Beilin

Gene technology in R&D provision to the Australian sugar industry: Sweetening up public research?
Wendy Russell

Content analysis of bias in international print media coverage of genetically modified food
Ruth Fitzgerald, Hugh Campbell, Leda Sivak

Consuming 'Green': The symbolic construction of organic foods
Kristen Lyons, Stewart Lockie, Geoffrey Lawrence

Follow the fear: A multi-sited approach to GM
Hugh Campbell, Ruth Fitzgerald

A cultural economy study of beef as a commodity: A preliminary analysis from Central Queensland
Julie Reis, Geoffrey Lawrence, Stewart Lockie

Feeding a growing city: The Glebe Island Abattoir and the provision of meat for Sydney
Phil McManus

Quality assurance, deregulation and participation in policy making: Farm women's perceptions from the field
Sarah Tufts Rickson, Roy E Rickson, David Burch

Agricultural education: Social science in the curricula
AM (Tony) Dunn, EC (Ted) Wolfe

Neoliberalism, individualism and prospects for regional renewal
Ian Gray, Geoffrey Lawrence