Migration and justice in the era of sustainable development goals: a conceptual framework

Migration and mobility are major characteristics of societies worldwide. The reasons for and pathways of migrations vary, as do perceptions of migration. Political debates are often organised normatively: the debate on the sustainable development goals presents migration foremost as a development issue resulting from global inequalities. The problems faced by particular migrants, and what a more sustainable approach to migration would look like are, therefore, often lost in political debates. We aim to address those gaps: the article conceptualizes, based on established academic debates, how sustainability in migration can be addressed systematically, which aspects are important for a more sustainable migration process and which trade-offs and injustices exist from several perspectives. We create a conceptual framework of sustainability in migration processes, building on the concepts of inter- and intragenerational justice, commonly accepted as the core of the sustainability concept. We apply this conceptual framework to empirical findings on labour migration and multilocality in Kyrgyzstan. The case enables consideration of the nested system effects of scale and translocality. This research is novel because it bridges the divided literature on migration, justice and sustainability, integrates theoretical and empirical insights and provokes a debate on which kind of migration we want to achieve

Exploring the link between farmers’ entrepreneurial identities and work wellbeing

Pressure on farmers to behave more ‘entrepreneurial’ is increasing. Psychological and social science research therefore has examined what characterises farmers identifying as entrepreneurs. A previous study in Finland suggested that farmers' self-identities may conflict with the public paradigm describing farmers as entrepreneurs instead of food providers. Different expectations towards farming may cause identity issues and decrease work wellbeing. The present study examines the relationship of work wellbeing and entrepreneurial identification. Utilizing the Maslach Burnout Inventory and the theory of Entrepreneurial Identity, the results show that work wellbeing is higher for diversified farmers and rural business owners than for conventional farmers in Finland. Conventional farmers on the other hand experience higher rates of loss of personal control and self-efficacy, indicating that the political strategies for entrepreneurs, diversification and innovativeness, are not applicable to all farmer groups. Entrepreneurs aim for autonomy and personal control which generally may be limited in specialised, subsidy-dependent agricultural production systems. Identity formation processes and how farmers can gain more control over their businesses as well as the limitations of entrepreneurship in the momentary agricultural policy system, should be considered in upcoming policy strategies.Peer reviewe

Social sustainability in agriculture – A system-based framework

Sustainability has become a key term for linking environmental, economic and social issues, in both the sciences and politics. Conceptions and frameworks of sustainability have thus arisen to evaluate agricultural systems on their sustainability. Within these conceptions and in political and scientific discourses, what can be understood as the social pillar of sustainability in agriculture varies greatly, especially in regards to the scope and the sustainability standards applied. While rural inhabitants have been subject of various ‘sustainability studies’, the consideration of the social dimension in agriculture is still rather underrepresented. Our conceptual framework can contribute to enhance the understanding of the social dimension of sustainability by utilizing a social science-based approach to comprehend the complexity of social interaction in agriculture: Based on Parsons' system approach, we capture the components of a social system that encompasses agriculture and its embeddedness in society. This includes all major actors, their interactions and institutions. Further, we develop Maslow's hierarchy of needs as well as the rights approach into a sustainability scale. We call the conceptual framework the sustainable agricultural social system. This general framework can later be adapted to local cultural and social settings, serving as a more comprehensive and flexible sustainability framework

What is Sustainable Agriculture? Critical Analysis of the International Political Discourse

The concepts, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘sustainable agriculture’, have been shaped by both political discourses of the United Nations and scientific discourses. Using critical discourse and content analysis, we trace the meaning of ‘sustainable agriculture’ in both international political and in scientific discourses to examine and identify key elements of the representation of sustainable agriculture. We found that the meanings of the concept of sustainable agriculture vary markedly: International political actors primarily produce discourses on sustainable development in agriculture and on sustainable agricultural intensification. Scientists tend to emphasise issues of environmental management. Based on our findings, we highlight the differences in the meaning of sustainable agriculture between the political and scientific discourses and attempt to explain them. In addition, discursive gaps are shown that have the potential to hinder the systematic operationalization of ‘sustainable agriculture’, such as the integration of a social dimension of sustainable agriculture

What is Sustainable Agriculture? Critical Analysis of the International Political Discourse

The concepts, ‘sustainable development’ and ‘sustainable agriculture’, have been shaped by both political discourses of the United Nations and scientific discourses. Using critical discourse and content analysis, we trace the meaning of ‘sustainable agriculture’ in both international political and in scientific discourses to examine and identify key elements of the representation of sustainable agriculture. We found that the meanings of the concept of sustainable agriculture vary markedly: International political actors primarily produce discourses on sustainable development in agriculture and on sustainable agricultural intensification. Scientists tend to emphasise issues of environmental management. Based on our findings, we highlight the differences in the meaning of sustainable agriculture between the political and scientific discourses and attempt to explain them. In addition, discursive gaps are shown that have the potential to hinder the systematic operationalization of ‘sustainable agriculture’, such as the integration of a social dimension of sustainable agriculture

Analysis of aquaponics as an emerging technological innovation system

Aquaponics is an approach of coupling two technologies: recirculation aquaculture (fish-farms) and hydroponics (soil-less cultivation of crops). While it is perceived as a way to contribute to more sustainable food systems, the technology is still in its infancy, with several challenges. This paper describes current conditions of development and identifies aspects that can promote or hinder future pathways. We focus our analysis on the EU, using Germany as an institutional case study, while also considering worldwide developments. We propose a framework to analyze aquaponics as an emerging technological innovation system at the interface between existing fish and plant production systems. The approach is explorative based on a literature review and interviews with experts. The main findings are that stakeholders have different views regarding the future development pathways, knowledge to manage complex systems in the long term is needed and it is still unclear how to design institutional conditions to deliver sustainable outcomes