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https://doi.org/10.17645/pag.v7i4.2092
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Finding Our Way to Food Democracy: Lessons from US Food Policy Council Governance
[journal article]
Abstract Food policy councils (FPCs) are an embodiment of food democracy, providing a space for community members, professionals, and government to learn together, deliberate, and collectively devise place-based strategies to address complex food systems issues. These collaborative governance networks can be... view more
Food policy councils (FPCs) are an embodiment of food democracy, providing a space for community members, professionals, and government to learn together, deliberate, and collectively devise place-based strategies to address complex food systems issues. These collaborative governance networks can be considered a transitional stage in the democratic process, an intermediary institution that coordinates interests not typically present in food policymaking. In practice, FPCs are complex and varied. Due to this variety, it is not entirely clear how the structure, membership, and relationship to government of an FPC influence its policy priorities. This article will examine the relationship between an FPC's organizational structure, relationship to government, and membership and its policy priorities. Using data from a 2018 survey of FPCs in the United States by the Johns Hopkins Center for a Livable Future paired with illustrative cases, we find that an FPC's relationship to government and membership have more bearing on its policy priorities than the organizational structure. Further, the cases illustrate how membership is determined and deliberation occurs, highlighting the difficulty of including underrepresented voices in the process.... view less
Classification
Special areas of Departmental Policy
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Free Keywords
collaborative governance; food democracy; food policy council; membership; participatory democracy
Document language
English
Publication Year
2019
Page/Pages
p. 32-47
Journal
Politics and Governance, 7 (2019) 4
Issue topic
New Perspectives on Food Democracy
ISSN
2183-2463
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed