[PhD student] Louis Rénier: Online communities and digital technologies to produce and exchange knowledge for agroecology

Online communities and digital technologies to produce and exchange knowledge for agroecology

• Starting date: October 2018
• University: Université Paul Valery Montpellier 3
• PhD school: ED 60, Territoires, Temps, Sociétés et Développement (Montpellier)
• Scientific field:  Sociology, Sociology of technology
• Thesis management: Frédéric Goulet, Cirad Innovation
• Thesis management: Aurélie Cardona, Inra Ecodéveloppement Avignon
• Funding: Inrae – Fondation de France
•  #DigitAg : Labeled PhD – Axes 1  et 2 – Challenges 5 et 1

Keywords: Sociology, sociology of technology, digital humanities, social networks, agroforestry, agriculture

Abstract : Agroforestry deals with agroecological systems that are diversified and complex. Such systems include different scales and a variety of compartments. They need to be adapted to local situations, and entail a transformation of knowledge. They require the articulation of generic and localised knowledge, and thus, collaborative learning between various actors. With the digital revolution in agriculture, the increasing use of tools such as forums, videos, and online social media, lead to the constitution of essential spaces in order to share technical experimentations and personal trajectories about innovations. In the agroecological domain, the multiplication of Youtube channels, digital trainings, and dedicated web pages reveals a change into the way knowledge can be shared. This thesis aims to understand how farmers, advisers, trainers etc. appropriate these tools in order to transform their practices. It will especially analyse how these tools can contribute to the emergence of new forms of professional socialisation, and constitute a place where knowledge related to complex and diversified agroecological systems – and especially to agroforestry – can be shared and produced.

Contact :  louis.renier [AT] inrae.fr​

Social network: ResearchGate

Communications & Papers

Renier, L., Cardona, A., Lécrivain, E. (2018). New arrangements for an agroecological management of animal health. The case of French farmers learning homeopathy. In: 13th European IFSA Symposium. Farming systems: facing uncertainties and enhancing opportunities (p. 1-14). Presented at 13. European IFSA Symposium, Chania, Crete, GRC (2018-07-01 – 2018-07-05). https://prodinra.inra.fr/record/435567