Re-Regionalizing the Food System?
Re-Regionalizing the Food System?
Editors: Betsy Donald, Meric Gertler, Mia Gray and Linda Lobao
Scholars of regional policy have become interested in food again; in food’s capacity to shape a place’s social, environmental and economic sustainability not only through local, organic and biodynamic farming, but through processing and distribution practices that embed local jobs and reduce carbon footprints by cutting waste and conserving soil, energy, water, and farmland. Phenomena like food scares, declining rural communities, rising health and cultural awareness, as well as growing public unease around the social and ecological attributes of food are not only motivating more people to eat better food, but also to study it. Research on food in the past five years has exploded in the social sciences, with regional scholars making important contributions in the areas of urban food deserts, new food firm formation, and public procurement, among others. At the same time disciplines that have long studied food and agriculture issues, such as rural sociology and agricultural economics have become increasingly concerned with regional policy as well.
This issue assembles a set of papers that represent different perspectives on, and approaches to, the re-regionalization of the food system. All over the world there is now a soaring demand for local and regional food. Governments, the private sector and community groups are responding with institutional ideas for a regional food economy. There is a large body of literature reporting on rather narrow segments of re-regionalization such as farmers markets, community-supported agriculture, and community gardens.
Research from a regional studies perspective, however, has begun to push the food re-regionalization concept further by linking work in local food geographies to work in economic and institutional geography. Themes explored include the institutional structures surrounding local food systems; the rapid consolidation and scaling up of the distribution and retail system more generally, as well as social equity, race, health and gender considerations. Some scholars question the ecological sustainability of re-regionalization whereas others question the moral economy of turning inward in light of global trade, over-consumption and world hunger.
This special issue is particularly interested in theoretical work that has a strong empirical foundation, pushing the literature in new directions, tackling grey areas or unresolved issues, and demonstrating how missing links may be overcome with integration of scholarly literatures. This includes synthesis pieces that extend the work theoretically. Empirical studies that elaborate, challenge, or otherwise evaluate claims derived from theory from various literatures are also of interest.
The issue aims to be as global in its perspective as possible, drawing on scholars working and researching along diverse themes and in different parts of the world.
Forthcoming Issues