Understanding the local food phenomenon: academic discourse, analytical concepts, and an investigation of local food initiatives

Abstract

The local food phenomenon has captured the attention of academics and has lead to new theories and methods in food studies. Many local food initiatives, small-scale programs that aim to satisfy one or a few needs of a local food system, have been investigated by social scientists; but the overall impact of scholarship on local food initiatives has yet to be synthesized. Provided within this paper is an in depth review of some core concepts of the local food discourse and an analysis of the scholarly literature on local food initiatives. Moreover, the author offers conclusions about the state of scholarship on the local food phenomenon and recommendations for future research.