Doctoral Dissertation Research: Urban Food System Alternatives

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SES-1128905Phil BrownMercedes C. LysonBrown UniversityABSTRACTDoctoral Dissertation Research: Urban Food System Alternatives In the past decade, the local alternative food movement has been discussed as part of the solution to social problems, such as public health concerns about an obesity epidemic, environmental degradation, and economic stability. Yet, as this social movement has become more popular and visible, there has been criticism that activities, such as shopping at Farmers' Markets, belonging to food cooperatives, or participating in urban gardening are a luxury of middle and upper-class citizens who have the time, knowledge, and resources to be part of this movement. Disadvantaged citizens, such as the working poor, and racial/ethnic minorities, continue to have less access to quality food, and subsequently poorer health outcomes. Although there are common messages about how to best maintain one's health that are part of food system alternatives, how different citizens are encouraged to "seek health" varies. The goal of this research is to investigate whether and how alternative community food initiatives are used to address health inequalities, how these initiatives vary according to the social class, race, and gender of the targeted audience,and in turn, how these different populations engage with and/or seek to transform both the conventional and alternative food systems in their local communities. This research will investigate how different institutional spaces of alternative food activities (a food policy council, farmers' markets, and an urban garden) engage participants in different ways, how power is exercised, and where points of resistance lie. Broader ImpactResults from this research stand to influence food policy at the local, state, or national level through federal agencies. They may help to improve the work of food-related non-profit organizations to more appropriately serve the needs of vulnerable populations, and they could have broader impacts on community betterment and empowerment.