Abstract

This chapter explores the enduring controversy about genetically modified crops in India. It asks what role different interpretations of past agricultural development play in the construction of contested sociotechnical futures with transgenic crops. The theoretical frame for this analysis combines the ‘social construction of technology’ with the concept of ‘sociotechnical imaginaries’ to understand temporal scales in the construction of such futures. Based on document analysis and semi-structured interviews, the chapter identifies four sociotechnical imaginaries in the debate. These are shaped by different interpretations of India’s agricultural past. The author argues for a greater role of temporality in studying technological controversies.