Exploring Food Justice
History as a Heuristic: Jane Addams and the Temporal Dimensions of Food Justice in Social Work
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Carla Silva
Since its emergence in the late 1800s, the social work profession in the United States (US) has engaged with food-related challenges, addressing systemic issues such as food safety legislation and access to nourishment. Today, social work remains pivotal in food security efforts, implementing policies through food assistance and entitlement programs. However, this work is often limited to managing episodic food crises at the individual or household level. By avoiding macro-level advocacy for systemic reform, social work inadvertently perpetuates food injustice and neglects its potential role in transforming inequitable food systems. This paper argues for a critical reexamination of social work’s historical involvement in food activism in the US, particularly given the enduring global food crisis and the exportation of Global North social work frameworks to the Global South. Using Jane Addams and the Progressive Era food crisis as exemplars, the paper explores how Addams’ advocacy for food justice can inform contemporary social work practices. Through a documentary analysis of archival materials, specifically Addams’ 1918 address to the National Conference on Social Work, this research positions her interventions as a heuristic tool for reimagining the profession’s role in food justice. Recognizing the temporal significance of Addams’ advocacy, this paper calls for social workers to adopt more progressive, macro-centered approaches that prioritize food justice. By drawing lessons from historical exemplars, the profession can better align with its ethical commitment to equity and systemic change in the face of global food challenges.
Neo-Colonialism - Struggles of Cultural Food Exposure : A Look into Smaller Nations
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Ryan Tao
The dominance of First-World countries extends beyond economic, political, and social spheres, affecting even more subtle micro-cultural influences, such as food. This dominance creates an intrinsic cycle that smaller, less influential countries cannot escape, preventing them from establishing themselves as global destinations and cultural forces. The reach of their culture and food remains limited to a small audience. What factors can we investigate to understand why this is the case, and perhaps suggest a future of cultural openness and development for these nations? Looking to the past to inform potential future changes, this paper explores the process of neo-colonialism that emerged directly after smaller nations declared independence from their colonizers. This provides insight into how colonial legacies have led smaller countries to depend on larger, more established nations, thus limiting their development. Not only is history examined, but attention is also given to present-day efforts by smaller nations to break free from these cultural constraints in their attempts to make a mark in the gastronomic world (e.g., Jamaica, Thailand). This paper draws on research articles, interviews, personal connections, experiences, observations, and book publications to trace the colonial and neo-colonial influences on food culture in smaller nations, while proposing solutions for how these countries can distinguish themselves globally.
Indigenous Food Wisdom Guiding Food Policy in British Columbia and Beyond: Insights from NGOs
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session Zehra Zawawi
Indigenous food knowledge and practices have played a critical role in addressing the complex issues surrounding food security, health, and cultural sustainability within Indigenous communities. This research explores the importance of Indigenous food wisdom in shaping food policies in British Columbia and beyond. However, in Canada, Indigenous food systems have been significantly impacted by colonialism and neoliberal capitalist policies, which continue to affect Indigenous food security and sovereignty today. The literature review examines the historical and ongoing challenges faced by Indigenous people in Canada in exercising their traditional food ways. Using a mixed-methods approach that includes content analysis and interviews with NGOs, the research investigates the relationship between Indigenous food knowledge, food security, sovereignty, and national and international food policies within the context of colonial and socio-economic challenges. The insights gained from this research will contribute to the development of culturally appropriate policies and practices that support the self-determination of Indigenous communities in managing their own food systems. By identifying gaps in national and international frameworks, the study seeks to enhance inclusion of Indigenous voices in food policy design, contributing to the decolonization of food systems and highlighting the need for further progress in developing food policy frameworks that align with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
