Identifying primary producers' positioning in the Irish bioeconomy using Social Network Analysis

The potential of the bioeconomy to support a transition to a post-carbon society has resulted in the concept's growing presence in policy documents focusing on land-use and climate action. Questions remain regarding power dynamics regarding who can influence the development of the bioeconomy. While primary producers have been identified as important providers of biomass for securing bioeconomy development, previous studies have emphasised the marginal position they hold in bioeconomy social networks internationally. Taking the growing bioeconomy in Ireland as a case study, this paper utilises social network analysis to map the composition of the Irish bioeconomy social network, identifying actors and sectors that have acquired relatively central or peripheral positions within the network. A further area of importance within social network analysis is the identification of brokers who can facilitate the entry and involvement of marginalised groups. Alongside the creation of a sociogram visualising the Irish bioeconomy, the theories of Foucault, Haugaard and Clegg on power are utilised to enrich the analysis of Ireland's bioeconomy social network. The study finds that, aligned with other studies on bioeconomy social networks, government and academic bodies form the core of Ireland's bioeconomy. Furthermore, primary producers are largely marginalised within the Irish bioeconomy. Their exclusion could impact the forms of knowledge considered within the development of the bioeconomy and who will ultimately benefit from its development.