A rhetorical approach to discussions about health and vegetarianism
Affiliation
Victoria University of WellingtonIssue Date
2004-07-31
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Typically, research on vegetarianism has sought to identify the psychological characteristics that distinguish vegetarians from meat-eaters. Health concerns have been identified as a motivation for meat abstention. In this article, rhetorical analysis of Internet discussions about health and vegetarianism highlights the argumentative orientation of explanations for meat consumption, with the various constructions of health serving a rhetorical function. We show the dilemmatic nature of arguments about the relationship between food and health: food can promote health and cause ill-health, and suggest that meat-eating as a dominant practice is supported by the rhetorical use of notions of 'balance', implying moderation, inclusion and rationality. This rhetorical approach represents a radical critique of past work that assumes opinions given in response to questions about vegetarian practices represent 'causes' of dietary practice.Citation
Wilson M, Weatherall A, Butler C (2004) 'A rhetorical approach to discussions about health and vegetarianism', Journal of Health Psychology, 9 (4), pp.567-581.Publisher
SAGEJournal
Journal of Health PsychologyPubMed ID
15231057Additional Links
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1359105304044040Type
ArticleLanguage
enISSN
1359-1053ae974a485f413a2113503eed53cd6c53
10.1177/1359105304044040