Responding to ‘land grabs' in rural Eastern Germany: emancipatory agrarian politics in the context of authoritarian populism

Abstract

ABSTRACT Large-scale land acquisitions harm small-scale farmers in rural Eastern Germany, increasingly prompting political attention and denunciation of the phenomenon as ‘land grabbing'. However, counter-framings are not necessarily progressive and may inadvertently fuel right-wing populist narratives, complicating the fight against neo-liberal restructuring of the countryside. This article explores progressive agrarian collectives' alternative framings in Eastern Germany, examining their interpretations of ‘land grabbing’. Amid growing authoritarian populist sentiments in rural areas, a comparative analysis of Arbeitsgemeinschaft Bäuerliche Landwirtschaft and Bündnis Junge Landwirtschaft shows different approaches to framing the problem and highlights the importance of holistic, inclusive narratives in countering these challenges.