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Market Versus Society pp 209–226Cite as

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Autonomy and Adaptivity: Farmer’s Work in France

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Part of the book series: Palgrave Studies in Urban Anthropology ((PSUA))

Abstract

This chapter illustrates some of the challenges that dairy and cattle farmers in the French uplands of the Auvergne region face within globalized food markets. Farming in Northern Cantal is one of the main contributors to rural life and it connects several individual and communal interests. While the number of farms is decreasing, the remaining farmers are often faced with tough economic circumstances. Taking the tension between autonomy and adaptivity as a theoretical starting point, the chapter looks at how farmers adjust to changing economic and sociopolitical conditions and at their possibilities to be self-dependent in daily work and life. Instead of analyzing agricultural policy or production chains, emphasis is put on the experiences of farmers themselves.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    I am grateful to the collaborative research centre 1015 (SFB 1015) at the University of Freiburg/Germany, that funded my research. I also thank my supervisor Gregor Dobler and my colleagues Maike Meurer and Pia Masurczak for critical comments on early drafts of this chapter.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Ethnologie, University of Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

    Martin Büdel

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  1. Martin Büdel
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Social and Educational Policy, University of the Peloponnese, Corinth, Greece

    Manos Spyridakis

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Büdel, M. (2018). Autonomy and Adaptivity: Farmer’s Work in France. In: Spyridakis, M. (eds) Market Versus Society. Palgrave Studies in Urban Anthropology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74189-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74189-5_12

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  • Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-74188-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74189-5

  • eBook Packages: Social SciencesSocial Sciences (R0)

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