By Joshua Sbicca

Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology

Tuesday, April 21, 2020, 2-3pm

NESB Rm B218

Snacks Provided!

Abstract: The food system is built on social inequality. In both feeding and failing to feed people it operates in many ways that degrade the land and exploit people. But the food system is a system of systems. As such, there are many socioecological moving parts and entry points for change. Food justice as a praxis offers a way to think about and act on these conditions in important ways. It centers the need for equity in terms of who we recognize, the process through which we act, and the outcomes we produce. As the climate crisis worsens and conditions for food chain workers and eaters remains inequitable, there is a clear need for just transitions in the food system that care for people and the planet. Given the complexity of the food system, the process of transitioning will likely entail collaborations between civil society and a cross-section of scientific pursuits. Producing relevant knowledge and practices begins with engaged scholarship that links everyday lived experiences to fundamental drivers of food system problems. Authentic relationships and organic connections are at the root of transdisciplinary food justice research frameworks and practices.