Short Abstract

This panel seeks to understand Indigenous food sovereignty movements not only as a site of social struggle but as a generative practice that transcends polarising binaries. It invites ethnographic, theoretical, engaged research that illuminates pathways beyond conflict and sustainable food futures.

Long Abstract

In an era characterized by deepening social, political, and economic polarisation, global food systems have become a critical frontline where conflicts over land, resources, governance, and cultural survival unfold. This panel examines the complex interactions between polarising forces—manifested through state policies, corporate agendas, and geopolitical contests—and the diverse movements and Indigenous food systems that seek to resist and transform these dynamics towards more just, sustainable, and equitable outcomes.

These polarising forces shape food security strategies in ways that often reinforce exclusion and inequality, creating binary divisions between state-led development models and grassroots Indigenous and peasant movements.

This panel foregrounds food sovereignty as a radical political framework and movement that challenges dominant food regimes by emphasizing the rights of peoples to define their own food systems. Indigenous food sovereignty and community-led sustainable practices provide crucial alternatives that reconnect social, cultural, and ecological knowledges, fostering resilience and relational governance models grounded in reciprocity, care, and participation.

Contributors can explore:

The multidimensional impacts of food and agricultural policies on Indigenous and local communities, focusing on how these policies interact with polarising political economies.

Movement-based responses that mobilise around land rights, seed sovereignty, and sustainable resource management, acting as counterforces to polarisation

The synergies/tensions between food sovereignty movements and state-led food security initiatives, interrogating how policy frameworks can either polarise or bridge divides.

Case studies highlighting Indigenous-led innovations in sustainable food systems that transcend traditional binaries of conflict by promoting mutual flourishing.

Methodological and ethical dimensions of research supporting Indigenous food movements, including participatory approaches.

The role of advocacy, academic activism, and public engagement in shaping broader food justice conversations.

By investigating these themes, the panel aims to contribute to urgent debates on how anthropology and allied disciplines can critically engage polarisation while amplifying the transformative potential of Indigenous and grassroots food systems.

This Panel has 1 pending paper proposal.
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