Affect and power in seeds — sensorial and political engagements

Birgit Muller (1)

1 CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique

Agricultural seeds are political and social objects that tie the farmer into multiple relationships with soil organisms, bacteria, and fungi, and expose them at the same time to multilayered political powerplays. Following controversies over the patenting of seeds in Canada and globally within the Committee for Food Security (CFS), I will explore how sensorial engagements with seeds gave the impulse for political resistance in different political arenas. I will then look at how collective action emerges and sustains itself.

Mots clés: semences; propriété intellectuelle; anthropologie legale

Domaines: Sciences de l'Homme et Société; Sciences de l'Homme et Société; Sciences de l'environnement; Sciences de l'environnement

Birgit Muller. Affect and power in seeds — sensorial and political engagements. Seedways. The circulation, control and care of plants in a warmer world, Edited by B. Karlsson & A. Rabo Series: Kungl. Vitterhets Historie och Antikvitets Akademien, Konferenser 104 Year of publication: 2021 ISBN: 978-91-88763-21-1, In press. ⟨halshs-03098613⟩