Social Representations in the Meat Industry and Influence on Diet
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Date
2021-06
Authors
Leonard, Francesca Anne
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
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.
Description
50 pages
Keywords
meat-based diets, cultural norms, meat consumption, social representations, American diet