Emancipatory responses to oppression: the template of land-use planning and the Old Order Amish of Ontario.
In this paper I discuss the clash of values between the Old Order Amish community of Ontario and the dominant social paradigm in agriculture. Land-use and agricultural regulations, designed for an industrial style of agriculture, are experienced as a threat to the survival of the Old Order Amish agricultural social economy and community. The paper describes how I have worked with the Old Order Amish to respond to these challenges and to create public policies that will allow them to maintain their human and agricultural diversity and small-scale sustainable farm practices. Four case studies illuminating the oppressive land-use regulations along with the emancipatory responses to the oppression are examined. The social transformation themes include principles and processes for community psychologists, land-use planners, and community economic development practitioners to consider. The article has heuristic value for a practice-based approach to social change.
Department of Psychology, Wilfrid Laurier University, 75 University Avenue, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5. ebennett@wlu.ca
Edward M
EM
Bennett
D000383:Agriculture; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D003469:Culture; D005006:Ethnicity; D006801:Humans; D009864:Ontario; D012922:Social Change; D012930:Social Dominance; D012945:Social Values