Above All, Farming Means Family Farming: Context for Introducing the Articles in This Special Issue

This Special Issue presents research and theoretical developments concerning farm-family transitions. Specifically, how qualitative methods sometimes combined with quantitative approaches can bring new understanding to farmfamily functioning and the transitions experienced over several generations o...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of comparative family studies 2005-07, Vol.36 (3), p.357-366
Main Authors: HILDENBRAND, BRUNO, HENNON, CHARLES B.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Agrarian Structures
Agribusiness
Agricultural Development
Agricultural Policy
Capitalism
Community structure
Comparative studies
Corporations
Crossnational studies
Entrepreneurs
Families
Families & family life
Family Farms
Family members
Family owned businesses
Farming
Heirs
Industrial agriculture
Lifestyles
Qualitative research
Quantitative research
Respect
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Summary:This Special Issue presents research and theoretical developments concerning farm-family transitions. Specifically, how qualitative methods sometimes combined with quantitative approaches can bring new understanding to farmfamily functioning and the transitions experienced over several generations or years. The research provides rich details about transition points such as marriages and succession, and changes in production techniques or commodity. This information supports theory building about the family response to ecological (e. g., physical, economic, political, social) opportunities and constrains. The Special Issue authors offer useful conceptualizations, research strategies, and theory building that can enhance knowledge about the interplay of farm and family, business and lifestyle. Information is presented about family farming in a dozen or more countries. In this article the authors present background information about family farming as a context for introducing the articles in the Special Issue. An attempt is made to explain why the family farm is still a significant organisational element in farming, even in the industrialised-capitalist west. An explanation is given of how different farming paradigms (yeoman, entrepreneur) and farm-family types (Traditional farmers on the break-even point; Modernizers out of necessity, Part-time farmers, Innovative entrepreneurs) can lead to diverse strategies for responding to issues of modernity and changing agricultural conditions. Cette publication spéciale présente les développements théoriques et de recherche concernant les transitions au sein des familles paysannes. Tout particulièrement, comment des méthodes qualitatives combinées avec des approches quantitatives peuvent donner accès à une nouvelle compréhension du fonctionnement des familles paysannes et des transitions vécues et éprouvées par plusieurs générations ou sur des années. Cette recherche fournit d'amples détails sur les points de transition tels que les mariages et les successions, les changements des techniques de production ou des marchandises. L'information renforce l'élaboration de la théorie sur la réaction des familles vis-à-vis des opportunités écologiques et des contraintes (par ex. physiques, économiques, politiques, sociales). Les auteurs de cette publication spéciale proposent des conceptualisations utiles, des stratégies de recherche et une élaboration de théorie permettant d'approfondir les connaissances sur l'interaction ent
ISSN:0047-2328
1929-9850
DOI:10.3138/jcfs.36.3.357