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The Neoliberal Economy of Food: Evaluating the Ability of the Local Food System around Athens, Ohio to Address Food Insecurity

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2017, Master of Arts (MA), Ohio University, Geography (Arts and Sciences).
Local food systems have emerged as a potential solution to both the ills of the neoliberal global food system and as a means of increasing the food security of low-income people through access to healthy, locally grown foods. However, many of the claims about local food systems are largely unsubstantiated. Although empirical research provides evidence of the difficulty food systems encounter addressing food insecurity due to deeply imbedded structures such as inequality, neoliberal entitlement cuts, and the market-based economy, additional research is needed to understand the relationship between these processes at the local level better. The Athens County, Ohio region has a thriving local food system with hundreds of individuals working to facilitate and promote the local food system. Despite this vibrant local food scene, in 2015, Athens County had a food insecurity rate of 20.4 percent that is higher than the national average of 13.4. This research addresses ways in which the local food system in the Athens region exhibits elements of neoliberalism through themes of market development, emphasis on personal responsibility, and reliance on charity. These themes are indicative of the neoliberal shift of responsibility for well-being away from the state towards individuals and community groups and the belief that the market is the site where social issues like food security are best addressed. Each of these themes creates its own set of constraints for actors in the local food system and limits their ability to decrease low-income food insecurity. Based on these findings, a set of best practices is provided to counter neoliberal tendencies in the local food system and better address local food insecurity.
Harold Perkins (Committee Chair)
Risa Whitson (Committee Member)
Thomas Smucker (Committee Member)
130 p.

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Chapman, A. M. (2017). The Neoliberal Economy of Food: Evaluating the Ability of the Local Food System around Athens, Ohio to Address Food Insecurity [Master's thesis, Ohio University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1499444327199405

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Chapman, Angela. The Neoliberal Economy of Food: Evaluating the Ability of the Local Food System around Athens, Ohio to Address Food Insecurity. 2017. Ohio University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1499444327199405.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Chapman, Angela. "The Neoliberal Economy of Food: Evaluating the Ability of the Local Food System around Athens, Ohio to Address Food Insecurity." Master's thesis, Ohio University, 2017. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=ohiou1499444327199405

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)