Dutch agriculture is facing radical changes. Discussions about nitrogen, sustainability and future prospects are often polarised, while solutions depend on cooperation between parties with divergent interests. This thesis examines how conversations between farmers, policymakers and other stakeholders unfold, and how interactional choices in those conversations contribute to the emergence, or lack thereof, of collective action. Based on detailed analyses of real conversations in diverse contexts, such as media debates, food cooperatives and multi-actor networks, the research shows that conversations not only reflect positions, but actively shape meanings and mutual relationships. The way in which problems are framed is closely linked to identity work and the role that emotions play in interactions. When these dimensions reinforce each other, contradictions can harden; when they leave room for mutual recognition, new common ground can emerge. The thesis shows how small, local forms of cooperation (“small wins”) can contribute to broader collective and institutional change through conversations, but also how vulnerable such processes are to external pressure. The central conclusion is that collective action in complex agricultural transitions cannot be understood separately from the interactional dynamics in conversations. Framing, identity work and dealing with emotions largely determine whether differences are reinforced or bridged, and whether conversations create space for joint perspectives for action. Conversations thus function as a key mechanism in transition processes, without being sufficient in themselves to force change.
Korien van Vuuren - Verkerk
Education: Master's degree in Communication & Information Sciences, Tilburg University (thesis: psychotherapeutic conversation analysis)
Research and publications: Peer-reviewed publications in, among others, the Journal of Communication Management and the Routledge Handbook of Nonprofit Communication, focusing on communication, framing and change in agriculture and transition processes.
Career:
- Knowledge management consultant: internal communication and training, construction sector
- 2002–present: Lecturer in Communication, Christelijke Hogeschool Ede – internal communication, change management, writing skills; curriculum development, graduation coordination, accreditation preparation
- 2019: NWO Doctoral Grant for Teachers – research into farmers and agricultural transitions
- 2022–present: Associate lecturer in Communication in the Journalism & Communication research group at Christelijke Hogeschool Ede; involved in SIA research projects on agriculture, energy and climate transitions