Whether by ecological breakdown or concerted action, the era of mass production and consumption is nearing its end. This means that the resource-intensive systems of provisioning on which many currently depend upon to meet their daily needs will change. For years, weak sustainability approaches emphasized the importance of individual attitudes, behaviors, and choices as the lever to shift economies and societies toward smaller footprints. These strategies have not only proven unsuccessful, they point to fundamental flaws in consumption-based economic models. Recent crises serve to further stress the fragility of economies that must perpetually grow.

Food systems, in all their many forms and complex interaction, are already showing signs of failure. Industrial agriculture, factory farms, and mass-produced and processed food are a major source of greenhouse gas emissions, cause massive biodiversity and soil fertility loss, contribute to non-communicable diseases, and weaken farming communities worldwide. Industrial agriculture alone is a significant contributor to 8 of the 10 planetary boundaries.

The window of time in which effective action is possible is closing fast and the degree of change needed is immense-- stronger, more radical strategies for economic and social change are essential. Driving the agricultural crisis, and much of the environmental crises we see today, is the relentless push for economic growth. The question before those concerned about the future of food and the planet, is how to reimagine and enact models for production, consumption, and governance that are viable, desirable, and possible outside of a growth-first paradigm. We must not only downscale energy and material throughput, but design a metabolism that functions very differently-- different values, different lifestyles, different practices, and a different way of relating to nature.

As food is so ingrained in culture and the rhythms of daily life, the repatterning of a post-growth food system has profound implications for the future of lifestyles, work, and health. How might sustainable food practices reconstitute foodscapes of sufficiency and conviviality, in which the line between consumer and producer is blurred? How do we redesign food production around the principles of agroecology so they might regenerate ecological synergies and expand farmer and citizen sovereignty? Food futures are political-- how do civic food actors rally around desirable food visions and find agency in transforming their foodsheds? Finally, can our relationship with food and agriculture redefine socio-cultural ideas of the good life and enable alternative worldviews that embrace ecological and social limits?

Seeking a post-growth future for food and society is reengaging with core tenants of RIHN’s mission: to debate how human culture ought to operate on the planet and identify practical solutions and transformative pathways to get us there. This symposium brings together interdisciplinary scholars to share stories of a present and future in which “enough is as good as a feast.”

An online symposium
Due to the global pandemic, the symposium will be carried out online. We anticipate the bulk of the interaction to take place via Zoom, but we also plan on using Slack to extend the discussion beyond live interactions. Sign up to receive your Zoom and Slack links to participate! We’ll be sending more information and the links to the registered participants closer to the date.