Between Innovative Methodologies & Contested Concepts: Challenging Food Justice from Interdisciplinary Perspectives

The concept of food justice is significantly intertwined with other concepts such as food democracy, food (in)security, and food sovereignty. Rooted in BIPoC social mobilization against structural inequalities in different contexts, the concept emerged to draw attention to (in)justice in the power hierarchies and diverse processes of agri-food systems. While the overlaps between the different concepts hold potential and can serve as complementary lenses toward transformation, the plurality of meanings across institutions, national and local contexts, as well as cultural and social realities also holds significant challenges for research.

Quantitative studies, such as surveys, have been prevalent in the agri-food studies and in public policies and approach such issues by developing parameters or indicators, for instance, to measure food insecurity. However, from a qualitative methods perspective, these concepts are understood as highly negotiated, in dispute, and under threat from different actors. In this session, we aim to discuss how different research projects utilize the concept of food justice methodologically, why, and what we can learn from that: their challenges, differences across national contexts and disciplines, and finally, explore the potential for constructing innovative interdisciplinary mixed-methods designs. Furthermore, as a transdisciplinary open session, we welcome methodological contributions from academics, social movements, artists, policymakers, agricultural and food practitioners, rural and urban planners, NGOs, and social entrepreneurs.