Nurturing proximities in an emerging food landscape

Dubois, Alexandre

doi:10.1016/j.jrurstud.2017.10.005

Cited by 50 publications

(65 citation statements)

References 48 publications

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“…Local institutional coherences have received comparatively little attention so far [34]. We might learn from "proximity studies" that have been successfully applied in various fields, including food network analysis [51], by considering modes of spatial (i.e., geographical) and relational (i.e., social, organizational, institutional, cognitive) proximities [36][37][38][39]. Thus, we decided to add a new perspective to the development paths of niches and their interplay with broader spatial and relational dynamics.…”

Section: Critical Reflections On Explanations Of Context-related Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Change Agents’ Perspectives on Spatial–Relational Proximities and Urban Food Niches

Gugerell

Penker

2020

Sustainability

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Cities are breeding spaces for innovations in the agro-food sector with the potential to foster the development of local niche networks and a food sustainability transition. In this paper, we propose a conceptual framework for the context-related development of urban food niche organizations and their networks of change agents. With a qualitative analysis of three niche-establishing organizations and their networks, we address the lack of knowledge on spatial-relational dynamics shaping the development of niche organizations and their networks. The identified dynamics are structured along the connotations of geographic, cognitive, social and institutional proximity within the niche networks, to the to the dominant actors, rules, and practices of the urban food system's regime and to society. For each niche network, we defined a strategic orientation that might lead to a specific development path. Finally, we propose strategies on how cities may foster the development of niche organizations and their networks to highlight local opportunities of supporting a food system sustainability transition, i.e., increasing food literacy, enabling access to space, and engaging in networking.

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Section: Critical Reflections On Explanations Of Context-related Foodmentioning

confidence: 99%

Change Agents’ Perspectives on Spatial–Relational Proximities and Urban Food Niches

Gugerell

Penker

2020

Sustainability

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“…Another field of application could be AFNs with direct interaction of actors from production and consumption. Drawing on the findings of Dubois (), it would be insightful to analyse AFNs with our analytic framework to further understand their proximities and implications for the actors of the value chain.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, compared to the conventional food system, AFNs often follow the goal to re‐embed food products more strongly in their social production contexts by shortening the distance between production and consumption through short value chains and/or by transmitting notions of community, care or stewardship (Marsden et al ; Goodman and DuPuis ; Renting et al ; Venn et al ; Bowen and Mutersbaugh ). Social embeddedness is established through personal trust, reciprocity, solidarity, and familiarity (Hinrichs ; Thorsøe and Kjeldsen ; Dubois ). Moreover, AFNs are generally based on a different definition of quality (e.g., grounded in origin, traditional methods, taste, and environmentally friendly production) (Murdoch et al ; Renting et al ).…”

Section: Conceptualising Proximity In Global Value Chainsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Bos and Owen () researched virtual communication for reconnecting producers and consumers in AFNs, concluding that they cannot fully replace personal experiences, but call for further research. Dubois () enriches AFN literature by connecting it with the theoretical concept of proximity (Torre and Gilly ; Boschma ) and shows how geographical, cognitive, organisational, institutional and social proximity in AFNs is established and developed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analytic Framework to Determine Proximity in Relationship Coffee Models

2019

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In conventional food systems, there are often large social and geographical distances between production and consumption. Alternative food networks (AFNs) like relationship coffee models aim to shorten these distances through direct contacts, communication, trust, transparency or commitment to improve farmers' livelihoods. These relationship coffee models appear in diverse shapes with various implications for producers. Therefore, we deductively develop a framework to conceptualise proximity in four dimensions (organisational, institutional, cognitive and social) with subdimensions and three transversal dimensions ((temporary) geographical proximity, power, and communication). The analytic framework is complemented by an illustrative case to empirically test it, showing high geographical, organisational, institutional and cognitive proximity but low social proximity between coffee producer and restaurant owner. For future research, the framework can help to conceptualise proximity or to distinguish different types of relationship coffee models and to unpack conditions under which relationship coffees can increase proximity between coffee producers and buyers, often located far apart.

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“…The reason behind this is that the majority of urbanites have lost their connection with their food-where it comes from, what it needs to grow, how it changes the immediate surroundings and wider environment-making all kinds of self-organised individual and collective food growing activities more popular than ever. These tendencies indicate a "re-spatialising" and "re-socialising" of food, which has drawn attention to alternative or short food networks and problematised the "local" in relation to wider interdependencies [4,5]. Food brings together the natural, economic, social, and cultural realms of life with transformative power over the planet as even hunting and gathering practices have altered the landscapes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Role of Culture in the Self-Organisation of Coastal Fishers Sustaining Coastal Landscapes: A Case Study in Estonia

Printsmann

Pikner

2019

Sustainability

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The cultural sustainability of coastal landscapes relies heavily on the community’s self-organisation in fish foodways. The theoretical framework concentrates on cultural sustainability, foodways, land–sea interactions, and community of practice. The data presented in this article were part of the SustainBaltic Integrated Coastal Zone Management plan, consisting mainly of semi-structured and focus group interviews with stakeholders, supported by background information from various available sources. The results are outlined by descriptions of self-organisation, community matters, and food forming cultural sustainability of coastal landscapes. The self-organisation in community of practice among coastal fishers is slowly progressing by negotiating common resources and voicing concerns about ecological, economic, and social sustainability. Foodways, which comprise the indispensable ingredient for sustaining a way of life that has produced traditional coastal landscapes, are always evolving.

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Nurturing proximities in an emerging food landscape

Cited by 50 publications

References 48 publications

Change Agents’ Perspectives on Spatial–Relational Proximities and Urban Food Niches

Change Agents’ Perspectives on Spatial–Relational Proximities and Urban Food Niches

Analytic Framework to Determine Proximity in Relationship Coffee Models

The Role of Culture in the Self-Organisation of Coastal Fishers Sustaining Coastal Landscapes: A Case Study in Estonia

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