養育「無污染」的孩子：有機食品論述、風險管理與母職實作

Raising ＂Unpolluted Children＂: The Discourse on Organic Food, Risk Management and the Practices of Mothering

「密集母職」是當代社會母職實作的重要特徵，除了主張媽媽是孩子最佳的照顧者外，更強調必須投入大量的時間、心力，甚至金錢，專注於育兒。在新自由主義脈絡下，社會認為獨立的個人要為自己的身心福祉和成敗負責。對於不被視為獨立人的孩子，則由母親為他們擔負趨吉避凶、管理風險的責任。本文探究，在近年來有機論述盛行的影響下，「食物工作」如何成為重要的母職實作場域，並再製性別與階級的不平等。藉由訪談中產階級母親，本文呈現有機論述、風險管理的概念及密集母職的意識形態，影響與形塑她們為孩子準備食物的日常實作。首先，透過有機食物的選擇、購買與烹調，她們進行孩子日常生活的風險管理，降低孩子被「污染」的機率；其次，食物準備成為她們實踐母職與建立認同的重要場域；接著，藉由有機飲食，這群媽媽展現個人對於守護環境與孩子未來的責任，但同時強化新自由主義對個人理性的強調。一方面，因為經濟、文化與社會資本，這群中產階級媽媽擁有較大選擇與決定的自由；另一方面，她們的母職實作仍受到傳統性別體制影響，追求有機食物與風險概念更強化日常育兒分工的性別不平等。 Intensive mothering is the most important characteristic of contemporary motherhood. In this framework it is argued that mothers are the best care-givers for their children, and they need to invest a huge amount of time, energy, and even money in raising children. Influenced by the ideology of neo-liberalism, the society considers that individuals need to be responsible for their own well-being, health, and success or failure. Since children are regarded as uncompleted human beings, their mothers are in charge of managing their risks and preventing them from falling into danger. This article investigates how, influenced by the discourse of organic food, ＂foodwork＂ has become an important field for mothering, and how gender and class inequalities are reproduced through foodwork. Relying upon interviews with middle-class mothers, this article illustrates how the discourse of organic food, risk management and the ideology of intensive mothering shapes their daily practices of foodwork for their children. First, through selecting, consuming and cooking organic food, the mothers manage the risks their children confront in everyday life, and prevent their children from being ＂polluted＂. Second, foodwork has become important for practicing motherhood and builds upon the identity of ＂mother＂. Third, these mothers seek to fulfill their responsibilities in protecting both the general environment and their children's future. At the same time, they reinforce the emphasis on personal rationality in the neoliberal context. Because of their social class capital, on one hand, these mothers are more capable in making decisions. On the other hand, their practices of mothering are still affected by the traditional gender system. Their involvement in foodwork reinforces gender inequality in the labor division of child care.

Intensive mothering is the most important characteristic of contemporary motherhood. In this framework it is argued that mothers are the best care-givers for their children, and they need to invest a huge amount of time, energy, and even money in raising children. Influenced by the ideology of neo-liberalism, the society considers that individuals need to be responsible for their own well-being, health, and success or failure. Since children are regarded as uncompleted human beings, their mothers are in charge of managing their risks and preventing them from falling into danger. This article investigates how, influenced by the discourse of organic food, ＂foodwork＂ has become an important field for mothering, and how gender and class inequalities are reproduced through foodwork. Relying upon interviews with middle-class mothers, this article illustrates how the discourse of organic food, risk management and the ideology of intensive mothering shapes their daily practices of foodwork for their children. First, through selecting, consuming and cooking organic food, the mothers manage the risks their children confront in everyday life, and prevent their children from being ＂polluted＂. Second, foodwork has become important for practicing motherhood and builds upon the identity of ＂mother＂. Third, these mothers seek to fulfill their responsibilities in protecting both the general environment and their children's future. At the same time, they reinforce the emphasis on personal rationality in the neoliberal context. Because of their social class capital, on one hand, these mothers are more capable in making decisions. On the other hand, their practices of mothering are still affected by the traditional gender system. Their involvement in foodwork reinforces gender inequality in the labor division of child care.