An intersectional feminist food studies praxis: Activism and care in the COVID-19 context

Abstract

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare global structural inequalities, including those involving food. Although feminist frameworks have been applied to the study of food, we have much to learn about activism and environmental education (EE). In this article, I thus develop a nascent intersectional feminist food studies praxis for the field to animate important conversations about “new” ways of thinking and doing EE research for a post-pandemic future. To begin, I describe the places where I work in eastern Los Angeles County, California. Then, I provide a brief overview of intersectionality, highlighting key components informing my work. Drawing on two and a half years of feminist participatory research focused on the activist-scholar nexus, I elucidate an intersectional feminist food studies praxis that elevates the politics of knowledge, is attuned to the affective domain, and supports transformation. To conclude, I specifically highlight how these insights can influence EE research and practice.