Anti-Democratic Tenets? Behavioural-Economic Imaginaries of a Future Food System

Abstract: This article makes the central argument that basic democratic values such as justice, autonomy and participation run the risk of being neglected when designing 'nudges' (i.e., indirect suggestions to influence individual behaviour) for sustainable behaviour change in the context of food governance, potentially complicating a democratisation of the food system. 'Nudges' uphold freedom of choice while simultaneously advocating a non-coercive soft force of paternalism to help people realise their preferences, maximise societal well-being and meet macro-sustainability goals. While the promises of the 'nudge' approach are widely echoed, nudging is also being contested because of its possible anti-democratic effects, such as individualisation, depoliticization and the emphasis of the status of citizens as 'consumer-citizens.' From a food democracy perspective, these dangers may undermine efforts to organise collective political action and impede alternative visions of a future food syste

Object Details

• Location: Deutsche Nationalbibliothek Frankfurt am Main
• Extent: Online-Ressource
• Language: Englisch
• Notes: Veröffentlichungsversion ; begutachtet (peer reviewed) ; In: Politics and Governance ; 7 (2019) 4 ; 94-104

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (where): Mannheim
• (who): SSOAR, GESIS – Leibniz-Institut für Sozialwissenschaften e.V.
• (when): 2019
• Creator: Gumbert, Tobias

Further information

• DOI: 10.17645/pag.v7i4.2216
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-2023010307535558019892
• Rights: Open Access; Der Zugriff auf das Objekt ist unbeschränkt möglich.
• Last update: 15.08.2025, 7:27 AM CEST