Scholar-activist perspectives on radical food geography: collaborating through food justice and food sovereignty praxis
Abstract
Abstract
Radical geography research, teaching, and action have increasingly focused on food systems, examining the scalar, sociopolitical, and ecological dynamics of food production and harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste. While academics have contributed significantly to these debates, the success and progress of this scholarship cannot be separated from the work of practitioners and activists involved in food justice and food sovereignty movements. This paper draws together the voices of scholars and activists to explore how collaborations can productively build the evolving field of radical food geography and contribute to more equitable and sustainable food systems for all. These perspectives provide important insight but also push the boundaries of what is typically considered scholarship and the potential for impacts at the levels of theory and practice. Reflecting on the intersecting fields of radical geography and food studies scholarship and the contributions from the scholar-activists, the authors share a collective analysis through a discussion of the following three emerging themes of radical food geography: (1) a focus on historical and structural forces along with flows of power; (2) the importance of space and place in work on food justice and food sovereignty; and (3) a call to action for scholars to engage more deeply with radical food systems change within their research and teaching process but also in response to it.
Resumen
La investigación, la enseñanza y la acción de la geografía radical se han centrado cada vez más en los sistemas alimentarios, examinando las dinámicas escalares, sociopolíticas y ecológicas de la producción y recolección, procesamiento, distribución, consumo y desperdicio de alimentos. Si bien los académicos han contribuido significativamente a estos debates, el éxito y el progreso de esta investigación no pueden separarse del trabajo de los profesionales y activistas involucrados en los movimientos de justicia alimentaria y soberanía alimentaria. Este documento reúne las voces de académicos y activistas para explorar cómo las colaboraciones pueden construir productivamente el campo en evolución de la geografía alimentaria radical y contribuir a sistemas alimentarios más equitativos y sostenibles para todos. Estas perspectivas brindan información importante, pero también amplían los límites de lo que generalmente se considera erudición y el potencial de impactos en los niveles de teoría y práctica. Reflexionando sobre los campos que se cruzan de la geografía radical y la erudición de los estudios alimentarios y las contribuciones de los académicos activistas, los autores comparten un análisis colectivo a través de una discusión de los siguientes tres temas emergentes de la geografía alimentaria radical: (1) un enfoque en la historia fuerzas junto con flujos de poder; (2) la importancia del espacio y el lugar en el trabajo sobre justicia alimentaria y soberanía alimentaria; y (3) un llamado a la acción para que los académicos se involucren más profundamente con el cambio radical de los sistemas alimentarios dentro de su proceso de investigación y enseñanza, pero también en respuesta a él.
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Biographies
Charles Z. Levkoe is the Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Food Systems, the Director of the Sustainable Food Systems Lab and an associate professor in the Department of Health Sciences at Lakehead University. You can find more details about his scholarship at https://foodsystems.lakeheadu.ca/
Colleen Hammelman is an assistant professor in the Department of Geography & Earth Sciences at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. She is a critical urban geographer with a research and teaching focus on social justice in urban food systems across the Americas. She is current chair of the American Association of Geographers’ Geographies of Food and Agriculture Specialty Group. You can reach her at [email protected]
Kristin Reynolds is an independent scholar in New York City; Lecturer in Food Studies and Environmental Studies at The New School; and Lecturer at Yale School of the Environment. As a critical geographer, her work focuses on urban food systems, social justice in the global food system, action research, and the politics of knowledge. She is the coordinator of the American Association of Geographers’ Geographies of Food and Agriculture Specialty Group’s Food Justice Scholar-Activist/Activist Scholar community of practice. You can reach her at [email protected], http://www.foodscholarshipjustice.org/, or Twitter @cultivatejust
Xavier Brown is the Director of Soilful City (https://soilfulcity.com). His work operates at the boundaries of urban agriculture, environmental sustainability, and African Diasporic culture.
M. Jahi Chappell is the Executive Director of the Southeastern African American Farmers’ Organic Network (https://saafon.org). He is also a former professor at Coventry University and Washington State University, and former senior scientist at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy.
Ricardo Salvador is the Director and Senior Scientist of the Food and Environment program at the Union of Concerned Scientists (http://www.ipes-food.org/). He is a member of the International Panel of Experts on Sustainability-Food (IPES-Food; https://www.ucsusa.org/) and advises a range of organizations that are advancing food systems innovation.
Beverley Wheeler is the Executive Director of DC Hunger Solutions (https://www.dchunger.org/). She leads efforts to improve public policies to end hunger, reduce poverty, promote nutrition, and increase the availability of healthy, affordable food in low income areas.
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Article first published online: September 28, 2020
Issue published: November 2020
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