Merchandising doubt in the periphery: some lessons from the glyphosate debate in Colombia

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper relies on the center–periphery division in the production of science and technology to discuss the glyphosate debate in Colombia as an instance of Oreskes and Conway’s tobacco strategy. The paper highlights some particularities in the implementation of the strategy in a peripheral context. Specifically, it shows that the debate here does not revolve around a product’s science and risks, but mainly around the results, consequences, and legal status of a government peace policy. To achieve this, the paper appeals to a mixed methodological approach integrating intensive methods to analyze traditional mass media and extensive methods to analyze social media.

Keywords

• Tobacco strategy
• glyphosate
• Colombia
• Twitter
• Peace Agreements
• Estratégia do tabaco