Farmers’ Perspectives on Cultural Landscapes in Central Switzerland: How Landscape Socialization and Habitus Influence an Aesthetic Appreciation of Landscape

Abstract

In terms of land use, agriculture is still important in shaping the appearance of the cultural landscape. For the tourism industry as well as for the local population, aspects of landscape are becoming ever more significant. The perception of landscape among farmers plays a decisive role in the implementation of the multifunctional task of agriculture, which is anchored in the Swiss Federal Constitution. To investigate this issue, selected farmers in three different communities in Central Switzerland took photos on their farms with single-use cameras, following the method of reflexive photography. Those pictures later served as a stimulus for problem-centered interviews. The interviews were evaluated using qualitative content analysis and were discussed within Bourdieu's theoretical framework of habitus and of symbolic capital. Results show that in all three communities farmers regard cultural landscape as a process resulting from their work. Further aspects of a regional habitus emerge from the different communities.