Siloed discourses: a year-long study of twitter engagement on the use of CRISPR in food and agriculture

Abstract

Gene editing technologies are emerging as powerful tools for agricultural development, spurring both hopes and concerns in society. To understand emerging discourses and coalitions around the role of CRISPR gene editing in food and agriculture we map the main actors and themes emerging from English-speaking Twitter networks over the course of one year (2021). Scientific actors are the most active and best networked in the debate. They promote a positive image of CRISPR gene editing and actively work to strengthen their network. A smaller but equally distinct group comprises civil society actors, who voice skepticism towards the technology and sometimes questions scientists' claims, but without eliciting responses from the scientists. We conclude that emerging discourse coalitions forming around the topic of CRISPR in food and agriculture on Twitter are siloed, with limited interaction between contrasting perspectives.

Keywords

genome editing; GMO; biotechnology; network analysis; social media; >

Published in

New Genetics and Society
2023, volume: 42, number: 1, article number: e2248363
Publisher: ROUTLEDGE JOURNALS, TAYLOR AND FRANCIS LTD

SLU Authors

• Fischer, Klara

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Genetics and Breeding
Social Sciences Interdisciplinary

Publication identifier

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14636778.2023.2248363

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/123925