| dc.description.abstract | seed–people relationships date back millennia but have been dramatically reorganized in
the last 100 years. this reorganization is just one part of the vast array of interconnected factors
that together have led to the entrenchment and domination of the current industrial food system.
this food system, in turn, is a major driver of global environmental degradation. the results of
the ongoing accelerating deterioration of the health of the planet have profound consequences for
the health of all beings that live upon it. while much research has been done exploring the role
of food systems in influencing the health of both people and planet, less is understood about the
role that seeds play. landrace seed breeding is a traditional form of seed–people relationship in
which both are understood to be engaged in a co-evolutionary process of adaptation. in contrast
to modern seed–people relationships in which seeds have been commodified and privatized,
landrace breeding is understood to be a collaboration between seeds and people. this thesis
considers the ways in which landrace seed breeding is connected with an eco-social approach to
health through the exploration of the relationships that exist between seeds and people within the
context of an ongoing landrace breeding project in ontario, canada. rooted in posthuman and
assemblage theory, and employing posthuman methodologies, this study takes the shape of a
multispecies ethnography in which seven humans and five landrace populations of watermelon
participated. this research found that the relationships between growers and watermelons created
a unique space from which a re-orientation of worldviews, new perspectives, and new stories
about how humans relate with other species could emerge. in light of the ongoing calls for new
ways of knowing and doing by those seeking to address the growing challenge of supporting
health from an eco-social perspective, this research suggests that landrace seed breeding may be
of importance beyond the agronomic benefits it is known to provide. this research also
exemplifies the relevance and utility of posthuman and assemblage thinking (as both theory and
research methodology) in facilitating a reimagining of the world around us and the place and role
of humans within it. | en_us |
