Honors Theses (Environmental Studies Program)

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Social Representations in the Meat Industry and Influence on Diet
(University of Oregon, 2021-06) Leonard, Francesca Anne
Meat has been ingrained into American culture since the birth of the nation—holidays that center around traditional meat dishes, experiences that almost always pair with some form of meat consumption, and the presence of meat as the dominant center of meals. Meat has been advertised in a way that positively enforces cultural social norms and drives consumption upward for a product known to be one of the most significant pollution sources on the planet. The industry’s power and affluence has made it a prominent actor in the political realm, with the ability to alter policies and regulations. The harmful repercussions of this industry have not gone unnoticed, and the incentive to create a new type of protein, “meatless-meat,” has become an explosive industry with companies like Beyond Beef at the forefront. Despite these emerging companies, the demand for meat in the US has not shrunk significantly. The reasoning behind this is less about ethical obligations to not kill animals for consumption, or to protect the environment, but from deeper socio-cultural norms that are reinforced by media to promote animal-based dieting and forgo plant-based alternatives.