Date of Completion

2022

Thesis Type

College of Arts and Science Honors

Department

Geography

First Advisor

Cheryl Morse

Second Advisor

Ingrid Nelson

Keywords

beekeeping, human-non-human relations, more-than-human geography, agriculture, property

Abstract

Throughout the US, beekeeping is growing in popularity. With this growing popularity has come a greater awareness of challenges to honeybee health. However, a geographical analysis of the relationships between beekeepers and landowners, which are essential for a robust food system, is missing. Further, there is little discussion about how bees have historically been viewed as both wild and domestic creatures. Over the course of interviews with eight beekeepers and landowners, I created simplified property maps that highlight the relationships between bees, beekeepers, and landowners. My findings suggest that, because bees challenge the wild-domestic binary, bees, beekeepers, and landowners create cross-property relationships that challenge the exclusive character of agricultural boundaries. I also suggest that mentorship between beekeepers and emotional relationships between beekeepers and their hives contribute to this transgression. This research aims to explore social and spatial relationships between bees, beekeepers keeping in mind the ability of bees to trouble the wild-domestic binary.

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