Papers by Charles Z Levkoe
Radical geographies scholarship has evolved over the past decades in pursuit of transforming spat... more Radical geographies scholarship has evolved over the past decades in pursuit of transforming spatial, political-economic, social, and ecological engagements within oppressive structures. Similarly, food systems scholarship demonstrates increasing interest in the scalar, sociopolitical, and ecological dynamics of food systems, often with an applied or action-oriented focus. Building on these connected, yet divergent, traditions of scholarship and action, we propose a radical food geography praxis that is rooted in the intersections of active resistance to structures that (re)produce power inequity and oppression in food systems in specific places and across spaces, and an ongoing process of critical and theoretical reflection about these structures and geographies. The radical food geography praxis we propose consists of three primary and interconnected elements: (1) theoretical engagements with power and structures of oppression both inside and outside the academy; (2) action through academic, social movement, and civil society collaborations; and (3) analysis through a broadly defined geographic lens. Through bringing together radical geographies and food systems scholarship, a radical food geography praxis reveals the interconnectivity between places and movements, relationality between land and people, the flows of people, environmental resources, ideas, and culture, and the diverse approaches to achieving justice-oriented objectives. In order to build more equitable and sustainable food systems, it is essential to engage with these geographic realities in deeply theoretical and action-oriented ways. Keywords food justice, food sovereignty, food systems, praxis, radical food geography, radical geographies las ideas y la cultura, y los diversos enfoques para lograr los objetivos orientados a la justicia. Para construir sistemas alimentarios más equitativos y sostenibles, es esencial comprometerse con estas realidades geográficas de manera profundamente teórica y orientada a la acción.
Radical geography research, teaching, and action have increasingly focused on food systems, exami... more Radical geography research, teaching, and action have increasingly focused on food systems, examining the scalar, sociopolitical, and ecological dynamics of food production and harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste. While academics have contributed significantly to these debates, the success and progress of this scholarship cannot be separated from the work of practitioners and activists involved in food justice and food sovereignty movements. This paper draws together the voices of scholars and activists to explore how collaborations can productively build the evolving field of radical food geography and contribute to more equitable and sustainable food systems for all. These perspectives provide important insight but also push the boundaries of what is typically considered scholarship and the potential for impacts at the levels of theory and practice. Reflecting on the intersecting fields of radical geography and food studies scholarship and the contributions from the scholar-activists, the authors share a collective analysis through a discussion of the following three emerging themes of radical food geography: (1) a focus on historical and structural forces along with flows of power; (2) the importance of space and place in work on food justice and food sovereignty; and (3) a call to action for scholars to engage more deeply with radical food systems change within their research and teaching process but also in response to it. Keywords activist-scholarship, food justice, food sovereignty, radical food geography, scholar-activism considera erudición y el potencial de impactos en los niveles de teoría y práctica. Reflexionando sobre los campos que se cruzan de la geografía radical y la erudición de los estudios alimentarios y las contribuciones de los académicos activistas, los autores comparten un análisis colectivo a través de una discusión de los siguientes tres temas emergentes de la geografía alimentaria radical: (1) un enfoque en la historia fuerzas junto con flujos de poder; (2) la importancia del espacio y el lugar en el trabajo sobre justicia alimentaria y soberanía alimentaria; y (3) un llamado a la acción para que los académicos se involucren más profundamente con el cambio radical de los sistemas alimentarios dentro de su proceso de investigación y enseñanza, pero también en respuesta a él.
Over the past decades there has been a notable growth in community-based food systems projects an... more Over the past decades there has been a notable growth in community-based food systems projects and successes. Despite these advancements, food insecurity, precarious food work, ecological degradation, and corporate conglomeration in the food sector all continue to increase, compounded by the ongoing impacts of white supremacy, patriarchy, and settler colonialism. Recognizing these growing inequities, critical scholars have noted that too many food systems initiatives are overly concerned with influencing individual behaviours and a focus on narrow objectives. Furthermore, many approaches tend to overlook ways that food systems are embedded within political and economic structures that constrain their goals of social and environmental justice. These multiple challenges suggest that food movements are at a crossroads. This paper reflects on this pivotal moment through an analysis of key food movement actors' perspectives on the progress and promises as well as emerging tensions for food movements in Canada. Through a series of interviews with individuals prominent in food movement spaces, we explore key perspectives on the state of food movements and possibilities for future directions. Our findings paint a complex and nuanced portrait of what food movements have accomplished, tease out internal tensions, and identify questions facing their future prospects. The perspectives presented through our findings offer a path to transcend the critiques that position short-term strategic gains in opposition to longer-term systemic change. We suggest that food movements can overcome these challenges by embracing a more radical and expansive vision of social and environmental justice that is deeply embedded within food systems while also looking beyond them.
Over the past decades, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of Food Policy Groups (FPG)... more Over the past decades, there has been a rapid expansion in the number of Food Policy Groups (FPG) (including food policy councils, strategies, networks, and informal alliances) operating at municipal and regional levels across North America. FPGs are typically established with the intent of bringing together food systems stakeholders across private (e.g., small businesses, industry associations), public (e.g., government, public health, postsecondary institutions), and community (e.g., non-profits and charitable organizations) sectors to develop participatory governance mechanisms. Recognizing that food systems challenges are too often addressed in isolation, FPGs aim to instill integrated approaches to food related policy, programs, and planning. Despite growing interest, there is little quantitative or mixed methods research about the relationships that constitute FPGs or the degree to which they achieve cross-sectoral integration. Turning to Social Network Analysis (SNA) as an approach for understanding networked organizational relationships, we explore how SNA might contribute to a better understanding of FPGs. This paper presents results from a study of the Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy (TBAFS), a FPG established in 2007 when an informal network of diverse organizations came together around shared goals of ensuring that municipal policy and governance supported healthy, equitable and sustainable food systems in the Thunder Bay region in Ontario, Canada. Drawing on data from a survey of TBAFS organizational members, we suggest that SNA can improve our understanding of the networks formed by FPGs and enhance their goals of cross-sectoral integration.
The proliferation of food policy councils (FPCs) in the past two decades has been accompanied by ... more The proliferation of food policy councils (FPCs) in the past two decades has been accompanied by increasing academic interest and a growing number of research studies. Given the rapid interest and growth in the number of FPCs, their expanding geographic distribution, and the research on their activities, there is a need to assess the current state of knowledge on FPCs, gaps in that knowledge, and directions for future research. To address this need, we undertook a scoping review of the scholarly literature published on FPCs over the past two decades. The review identified four main themes in the FPC research-(1) Activities of FPCs; (2) Organizational dimensions; (3) Challenges; and, (4) Facilitators. We also note a significant sub-theme related to equity and diversity, race and class representation in FPCs. These themes frame a growing body of knowledge on FPCs along with key gaps in the current body of literature, which may help to direct research on these organizations for those interested in approaches to food systems change and cross-sectoral collaborative approaches to social-ecological governance.
Food policy councils provide a forum to address food systems issues and a platform for coordinate... more Food policy councils provide a forum to address food systems issues and a platform for coordinated action among multisectoral stakeholders. While diverse in structure, most councils aim to develop democratic and inclusive processes to evaluate, influence, and establish integrated policy and programs for healthy, equitable, and sustainable food systems. The Thunder Bay and Area Food Strategy (TBAFS) is one such example that promotes regional food self-reliance, healthy environments, and thriving economies through the a *
Agriculture and Human Values, 2024
In the context of climate change, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, growing food insecurity... more In the context of climate change, the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic, growing food insecurity, and rising inflation, the inequities in the dominant food system and subsequent vulnerabilities are being made ever more visible. Policies and programs that can support social and economic security while responding to intensifying environmental challenges are urgently needed. Basic income is receiving increasing attention as one such policy tool in jurisdictions around the world. However, its applications to food systems are underdeveloped. This discussion paper considers basic income as a policy tool for supporting food systems sustainability in Canada drawing on our collaborative research as part of Coalition Canada's Case for Basic Income Series. We suggest that a basic income may contribute to addressing precarity in livelihoods and food access while offering potential co-benefits for local food production and community well-being. We also underscore that basic income is not a panacea for all problems facing food systems and must be considered alongside other public supports and initiatives. We conclude by identifying areas for further research and policy investigation for food systems scholars and practitioners.
Canadian Food Studies, 2021
The evolving practice and scholarship surrounding food movements aim to address social, political... more The evolving practice and scholarship surrounding food movements aim to address social, political, economic and ecological crises in food systems. However, limited interrogation of settler colonialism remains a crucial gap. Settler colonialism is the ongoing process that works to systematically erase and replace Indigenous Peoples with settler populations and identities. While many progressive and well-intentioned food movements engage directly with issues of land, water, identity, and power, critics argue they have also reified capitalism, white supremacy, agro-centrism and private property that are central to the ongoing dispossession of Indigenous Peoples. Scholars and advocates have called for greater accountability to the contradictions inherent in working towards social and ecological justice on stolen land. We write this paper as three settler activist-scholars to interrogate ways that social movements are responding to this call. A community-engaged methodology was used to conduct semi-structured interviews with individuals working in settler-led food movement organizations in northwestern Ontario, Canada and in southern Australia. We present our findings through three intersecting categories: 1) Expressions of settler inaction; 2) Mere inclusion of Indigenous Peoples and ideas; and, 3) Productive engagements that confront settler colonialism. To explore this third category in greater detail, we suggest a continuum that moves from situating our(settler)selves within the framework of settler colonialism to (re)negotiating relationships with Indigenous Peoples to actualizing productive positions of solidarity with Indigenous struggles.
Human Geography, 2020
Radical geography research, teaching, and action have increasingly focused on food systems, exami... more Radical geography research, teaching, and action have increasingly focused on food systems, examining the scalar, sociopolitical,
and ecological dynamics of food production and harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste. While
academics have contributed significantly to these debates, the success and progress of this scholarship cannot be separated
from the work of practitioners and activists involved in food justice and food sovereignty movements. This paper draws
together the voices of scholars and activists to explore how collaborations can productively build the evolving field of radical
food geography and contribute to more equitable and sustainable food systems for all. These perspectives provide important
insight but also push the boundaries of what is typically considered scholarship and the potential for impacts at the levels of
theory and practice. Reflecting on the intersecting fields of radical geography and food studies scholarship and the contributions
from the scholar-activists,
the authors share a collective analysis through a discussion of the following three emerging
themes of radical food geography: (1) a focus on historical and structural forces along with flows of power; (2) the importance
of space and place in work on food justice and food sovereignty; and (3) a call to action for scholars to engage more
deeply with radical food systems change within their research and teaching process but also in response to it.
Northern Review, 2019
Thunder Bay is the largest city in Northwestern Ontario and is located on the northern shore of L... more Thunder Bay is the largest city in Northwestern Ontario and is located on the northern shore of Lake Superior, the world's largest freshwater lake. While fi shing and fi sh consumption are signifi cant parts of the Thunder Bay area's food systems, the ability to purchase fi sh that are caught and processed in the region is extremely limited. While the lake once had an abundance of commercial fi shing activity, today there are only a handful of commercial fi shers left on the Canadian side and most of the catch is sold in the United States. In recent years, there have been growing efforts among community groups, local entrepreneurs, citizens, and Indigenous communities to enhance the sustainability of local food systems and ensure they can provide accessible, healthy, and culturally-appropriate foods, including fi sh. This article uses a "fi sh as food" framework to explore how policies and governance impact small-scale commercial fi sheries in the Thunder Bay area's food systems. Based on twenty-fi ve interviews with a diverse range of actors involved in fi sheries, as well as a review of policies in the interrelated areas of fi sheries management and food systems, we look at the barriers and potential opportunities for reintegrating small-scale commercial fi sheries into food systems in the Thunder Bay area. Our fi ndings indicate that fi sheries governance is dominated by top-down approaches to resource management, to the detriment of equity, livelihoods, and access to local fi sh for consumption.
Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning, 2018
While a considerable body of literature advocates for participatory evaluation methodologies with... more While a considerable body of literature advocates for participatory evaluation methodologies within community-centred community-campus engagement (CCE) projects, there has been limited study to date on how a “community-first”, or community-driven approach to CCE may be informed and strengthened by reflexive evaluation practices. Reflexive evaluation involves a critical reflection on the positionality of participants in relation to the processes they are engaged in and attempting to influence. In response to this gap, this article develops a reflexive account of our activities and influence, as academics, within an evaluation of the first phase of the multi-year pan- Canadian CCE project known as Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement (CFICE). Building on the experiences of community and academic partners across a collective reflective evaluation of over forty demonstration projects within Phase I of CFICE, we reflexively examine our own efforts to incorporate common community- first CCE working practices into the evaluation processes to which we contributed. This examination reinforces scholarly assertions about the crucial position of community voices in co-governance of CCE projects, the need to reduce institutional constraints to community participation, and the value of nourishing relationships within CCE work. The approach explored in this article complements more general evaluation methods for practitioners seeking to ensure accountability to community-first values in their work. The article also explores how reflexive evaluation can inform practitioners about deeper personal and collective introspection and transformations related to relationships and processes associated with employing community-first CCE working practices.
Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning, 2018
While community-campus engagement (CCE) has gained prominence in postsecondary institutions, crit... more While community-campus engagement (CCE) has gained prominence in postsecondary institutions, critics have called for a more direct focus on community goals and objectives. In this paper, we explore the possibilities and limitations of community- centred research through our collective experiences with the Community First: Impacts of Community Engagement (CFICE) and the Community Food Sovereignty (CFS) Hub. Drawing on a four-year research project with twelve community-campus partnership projects across Canada, we outline three key areas for reflection. First, we examine the meanings of community-centred research—called “community first”—in our work. Second, we explore key tensions that resulted from putting “community first” research into practice. Third, we discuss possibilities that emerged from attempts to engage in “community first” CCE. We suggest that while putting “community first” presents an opportunity to challenge hierarchical relationships between academia, western ways of knowing, and community, it does not do so inherently. Rather, the CCE process is complex and contested, and in practice it often fails to meaningfully dismantle hierarchies and structures that limit grassroots community leadership and impact. Overall, we argue for the need to both champion and problematize “community first” approaches to CCE and through these critical, and sometimes difficult conversations, we aim to promote more respectful and reciprocal CCE that works towards putting “community first.”
Engaged Scholar Journal: Community-Engaged Research, Teaching, and Learning, 2018
Scholarly peer review is hailed as an indispensable process to maintain quality and rigour in res... more Scholarly peer review is hailed as an indispensable process to maintain quality and rigour in research publications. However, there is growing recognition of the limitations of peer review and concerns about the unexamined assumptions surrounding the processes that favour academic ways of knowing. In this paper, we build on these debates by exploring the possibilities for engaging communities in shaping and assessing the value of knowledge. Drawing on insights of a community-academic peer review pilot project through a pan-Canadian research partnership, we reflect on the value of incorporating community perspectives into research review processes and challenges of scaling-up these efforts. We argue that the perspectives of community-based practitioners are a necessary part of peer review—especially for Community-Based Research—to increase validity and accountability. This process gives academics and practitioners the power to collectively assess and evaluate knowledge products. Fundamentally, these efforts are about reviving higher education and critical research as part of a democratic public sphere that is open, inclusive, and relevant. We conclude by reflecting on the value of incorporating community perspectives into the peer review process. We also offer recommendations on how to recognize and incorporate community knowledge and experiences into assessment structures.
As a concept, agroecology emphasises the interweaving of scientific and traditional ecological kn... more As a concept, agroecology emphasises the interweaving of scientific and traditional ecological knowledge and is evolving in conjunction with farmer-led social movements from around the world addressing the health, equity and ecological sustainability of food systems. In Canada, many new agroecological farmers come from non-farming backgrounds and are finding limited training opportunities and support structures. While there is a growing literature on the evolution of agroecology, there is limited research on the existence and impact of training programmes on the subject-formation of new farmers. In this paper, we consider the subject-formation of new agroecological farmers through a case study of the Everdale Community Learning Centre, one of Canada’s only agroecological farm schools. In particular, we explore how the knowledge, practice, and relational identities of participating graduates are informed by and build on the science, practice, and movement of agroecology. Drawing on a survey and interviews with past participants, we found that Everdale’s education programme contributes to an agroecological subject-formation by promoting the co-creation of place- based agricultural knowledge; teaching the complexities of agroecology practice through both experiential and theoretical training; and, building a supportive community of peers. We conclude with reflections on ways to encourage a greater diversity of new farmer entrants and opportunities to support training programme graduates in establishing successful farms. These findings provide insight into developing new agroecological farmers and supporting the growing agroecological movement in Canada.
This article surveys the current state of agroecology in Canada, giving particular attention to a... more This article surveys the current state of agroecology in Canada, giving particular attention to agroecological practices, the related social movements, and the achievements of agroecological science. In each of these realms, we find that agroecology emerges as a response to the various social and ecological problems associated with the prevailing industrial model of agricultural production that has long been promoted in the country under settler colonialism. Although the prevalence and prominence of agroecology is growing in Canada, its presence is still small and the support for its development is limited. We provide recommendations to achieve a more meaningful integration of agroecology in Canadian food policy and practice.
This article is situated within nascent debates on the role of academics within food sovereignty ... more This article is situated within nascent debates on the role of academics within food sovereignty movements. Drawing on insights from a collective autoethnography, we report on our experiences conducting three food sovereignty research projects in different contexts and at different scales. We suggest that that the principles and practices of food sovereignty translate into a food sovereignty research praxis. This consists of three pillars focusing on people (humanizing research relationships), power (equalizing power relations) and change (pursuing transformative orientations). This article discusses these pillars and analyzes the extent to which we were able to embody them within our projects.
The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems recognized that "current systems w... more The International Panel of Experts on Sustainable Food Systems recognized that "current systems will be held in place insofar as these systems continue to be measured in terms of what industrial agriculture is designed to deliver, at the expense of many other outcomes that really matter in food systems" (IPES-Food, 2016, p. 57). In response, they called for new food systems indicators rooted in social justice, support for local economies, ecological regeneration, and democratic engagement. This paper reflects on the ways that indicators can serve as a tool to understand the current state of food systems, challenge existing approaches, and (re)frame a future vision of equity and sustainability. Our analysis focuses on the development of Food Counts: A Pan-Canadian Sustainable Food Systems Report Card, a first attempt to bring together existing measures of social, environmental, and economic well-being to help researchers, policy makers, and practitioners examine food systems more comprehensively. The report card used a food sovereignty framework and an integrated systems perspective and makes connections to a global movement for collective social change. Beyond its practical value, and particularly in the context of Canada's development of a national food policy, our analysis illuminates the limited kinds of data available, the privileging of scientific expertise over traditional knowledge, the assumed value of certain indicators, and the reductionist nature of using data to represent complex food systems. We argue that while report cards can make visible numerous food systems' elements, they can also obscure diverse experiences, reinforcing unsustainable practices and policies.
Community service-learning (CSL) has gained popularity over the past decades in universities acro... more Community service-learning (CSL) has gained popularity over the past decades in universities across North America. Although planning programs tend to involve more graduate-level community-engaged learning than other professional disciplines, learning outcomes have not been sufficiently examined. Based on a review of existing literature and analysis from four years of a CSL course at the University of Toronto’s Department of Geography and Planning, this article describes the implications of CSL for graduate planning education. We argue that CSL in graduate planning programs has a series of unique characteristics and thus requires distinctive pedagogical approaches.
This paper reflects on a major public engagement process that was established to develop a Pan-C... more This paper reflects on a major public engagement process that was established to develop a Pan-Canadian food policy based on the principles of food sovereignty. We present an account of the People’s Food Policy (PFP) as a social and political experiment that mobilized a diversity of civil society networks and Indigenous people to establish transformative spaces and processes for (re)claiming control of the food system. We argue that the PFP process was a successful, yet imperfect model of a people-centred, counter-hegemonic policy-making process enacted through food movement networks that provided important lessons for advancing public participation in deci- sion making and action.
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Papers by Charles Z Levkoe
and ecological dynamics of food production and harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste. While
academics have contributed significantly to these debates, the success and progress of this scholarship cannot be separated
from the work of practitioners and activists involved in food justice and food sovereignty movements. This paper draws
together the voices of scholars and activists to explore how collaborations can productively build the evolving field of radical
food geography and contribute to more equitable and sustainable food systems for all. These perspectives provide important
insight but also push the boundaries of what is typically considered scholarship and the potential for impacts at the levels of
theory and practice. Reflecting on the intersecting fields of radical geography and food studies scholarship and the contributions
from the scholar-activists,
the authors share a collective analysis through a discussion of the following three emerging
themes of radical food geography: (1) a focus on historical and structural forces along with flows of power; (2) the importance
of space and place in work on food justice and food sovereignty; and (3) a call to action for scholars to engage more
deeply with radical food systems change within their research and teaching process but also in response to it.
and ecological dynamics of food production and harvesting, processing, distribution, consumption, and waste. While
academics have contributed significantly to these debates, the success and progress of this scholarship cannot be separated
from the work of practitioners and activists involved in food justice and food sovereignty movements. This paper draws
together the voices of scholars and activists to explore how collaborations can productively build the evolving field of radical
food geography and contribute to more equitable and sustainable food systems for all. These perspectives provide important
insight but also push the boundaries of what is typically considered scholarship and the potential for impacts at the levels of
theory and practice. Reflecting on the intersecting fields of radical geography and food studies scholarship and the contributions
from the scholar-activists,
the authors share a collective analysis through a discussion of the following three emerging
themes of radical food geography: (1) a focus on historical and structural forces along with flows of power; (2) the importance
of space and place in work on food justice and food sovereignty; and (3) a call to action for scholars to engage more
deeply with radical food systems change within their research and teaching process but also in response to it.
Conversations in Food Studies brings to the table thirteen original contributions organized around the themes of representation, governance, disciplinary boundaries, and, finally, learning through food.
This collection offers an important and groundbreaking approach to food studies as it examines and reworks the boundaries that have traditionally structured the academy and that underlie much of food studies literature.