Von den guten Bienen

Mensch-Tier-Begegnungen in der urbanen Imkerei Wiens

Abstract

For several years there has been a remarkable public interest in bees as urban actors. People living in the city centres are keeping bees on their balconies and terraces. At the same time we see a great reduction in the number of bees around the world. There are a variety of reasons for the loss: climate changes, diseases, the resistant Varroa destructor, or the often-discussed pesticides for seed treatment in agriculture. Due to these developments bees have come into the city and appear in the media as urban animals. Following Michel Callon’s approach of a “sociology of translation” this paper examines the relationship between bees and beekeepers in Vienna. How do they negotiate living together? How is the relationship regulated by power dynamics and mechanisms of control? The paper argues that bees are actors in economic processes that influence political decisions; they are partners and friends that ensure our existence. Bees as cohabitants in the city should therefore always be kept in mind as equal actors when thinking about urban beekeeping.