Entendendo o veganismo no contexto de transições para a sustentabilidade: uma investigação de atores e práticas organizacionais

Abstract

The veganism defends the end of animal exploitation in the various society sectors in which it is present, such as food, entertainment, in clothing, ingredients and testes for cosmetics and hygiene products, among others. It seeks to find more friendly alternatives for animals, people, and the environment. Because of this variety of uses, veganism presents several actions fronts that are usually treated in an individual way in studies and actions. Besides that, this multiplicity does not allow an automatic association between veganism and sustainability. Thus, this research aimed to obtain an overview of the studies and actions in the field of veganism and its association with sustainability, in order to understand which views guide this movement, the actors involved and how they act. For this, the concepts related to sustainability transitions were used to approach the theme. At first, a systematic literature review of veganism and sustainability was carried out to consolidate this study field and verify the main topics discussed and research gaps. From this review, it was possible to identify the themes that need more studies. From there, it was decided to continue the research with organizations that defends the veganism in Brazil. From both studies, it was possible to realize that there is an association between veganism and sustainability, especially when veganism is treated together with other movements like the ones for environmental and societal justice. The very end of animal exploitation is also considered a factor that improves several aspects in the environment and societal fields. In addition, several groups active in the movement were identified, such as NGOs that seek to expand the movement; government that are pressured for legislations in favor of animals; celebrity and influencers who use their reach to spread the cause; companies that are pressured to some extent and partly take advantage of it to create a niche market for plant products; the academic field, which drives the movement with studies related to it; and society, which other actors try to change perceptions about animals to change the way they are treated, and who also play an active role in including aspects of veganism, such as food, in their daily lives and thereby strengthening their demands.