Dimensions of Political Ecology 2014: Conference on Nature/Society
Political Ecology Working Group
February 27-March 1, 2014
University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, USA

Session organizers: Ian Werkheiser, Michigan State University ianwerkheiser@gmail.com
Session Theme: The Implications of Food Sovereignty

Session description

Food Sovereignty is a vibrant discourse in activist circles, and has been making inroads into academic conversations as well.  However, while critiques of the dominant food security model are common, the underlying theory, practice, and implications food sovereignty for communities which are pursuing it have gone underexamined.  This has left the discourse open to critique as being too broad and incoherent, as it incorporates “All manner of movements for liberation from oppression, from the Zapatistas to the women’s movement.” (Flora 2011)

This Panel will seek to examine some of these issues by trying to get a better picture of what the food sovereignty movement is, how it works, and what it entails.  Papers from all backgrounds addressing food sovereignty are welcome.  Possible topics include:

• Case studies of particular groups pursuing food sovereignty
• New disciplinary perspectives on food sovereignty, such as decision theory, adaptive management, etc.
• Food sovereignty’s unaddressed implications for other issues, such as public health, non-human animal relations, education, etc.
• Theoretical work on community self-determination, autonomy, and sovereignty
• An examination of the possibilities (or lack thereof) for food sovereignty in an urban context

To Submit

Please submit 250 word abstracts by October 31, 2013 to the session organizer, Ian Werkheiser ianwerkheiser@gmail.com

Accepted papers will be notified no later than November 15, 2013.

All presenters must register online for the conference and pay the fee of $20 for graduate students; $40 for faculty; $0 for undergraduates. Conference registration opens on October 1, 2013.

Please visit the website to register.