Forwarded along for your consideration. If interested, contact Elizabeth Smythe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Forwarded Message: > To: "[EMAIL PROTECTED]" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > From: Elizabeth Smythe <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Subject: Enviro Studies list serv. > Date: Wed, 21 May 2008 10:16:45 -0600 > ----- > I would ask if you could circulate this panel proposal to your section members or colleagues. I am looking for potential paper presenters and a discussant who would be interested in this theme. My own paper proposal is listed below and I have another author interested in the question of food aid. > > > > > Civil Society and the Future of Global Governance of the Food System > > > > The past three decades have seen major changes in the global food system in several areas. The first is the rapidly rising levels of food trade reflected in increasing food exports for some countries and dependence on food imports for others. Much of this trade is increasingly dominated by large corporate actors in the context of regimes and rules around food trade. Challenges are emerging however, to these systems as reflected in concerns about climate change, bio-fuels, bio-diversity, GM crops and the looming shortages and rapidly rising costs of food. While recent ISA panels have focused on issues of the power and influence of corporate actors in the food system this panel focuses on civil society actors including consumers, social movements, non-governmental organizations and the impact they have had on the discourse and policies around food trade. It will address issues such as the re-localization of the food system, food sovereignty, food labeling and policies of food aid and the role that civil society actors are playing in shaping them. > > > > Paper One: Title: Re-localizing the Food System: Civil Society and the Right to Know Where food comes from. > > > > This paper examines the trade implications of civil society efforts to re-localize the food system. It will examine in particular the issue of food labeling related to both processes of production and origins. Both of these are critical to efforts to re-localize and privilege local, smaller scale production of food over globalized corporate systems of food trade. The paper will examine the role of civil society actors, especially consumers, environmental and small farm and peasant organizations and how their discourse profoundly challenges the prevailing assumptions of global food trade. > > > > Elizabeth Smythe, > Concordia University College of Alberta, > 7128 Ada Blvd, Edmonton, Alberta T5B4E4 > Ph: 780-479-9371 Fax 780-474-1933 >
