The effects of organic farming on the landscape: Reflections on a Ph.D. project in the context of values and ideologies

Summary

Human behaviour and action is never value-free and will always in different ways relate to values and ideologies. Within natural science, the integration of personal attitudes and feelings is often looked down on. Paradoxically, this claim on objectivity can in itself be seen a central value or ideology of natural science. Consequently, values and ideologies, whether linked to our individual thinking or influenced by our socio-cultural surroundings, will always influence our way of performing research.
With this in mind, I try to reflect on my own research project in the context of values and ideologies. By going through a number of written documents, which are or have been connected to my project, I outline both external and my own internal values and try to analyse how these have influenced the design of my Ph.D. project.