Thirteenth International Conference on Food Studies

Abstract

Food access scholars and policy makers recognize the importance of considering the intersection of culture and food access in urban environments, but are limited by quantitative methods. Further limitations include governmental agencies identifying mainline grocery stores as the only food outlets in urban settings. In actuality, residents turn to a variety of sources, such as ethnic markets, gardens, and even fishing and hunting to access their culturally desirable foods. This project aims to faithfully characterize the food environment and explore the cultural foodways in Greater New Haven, Connecticut, by centering local knowledge and accounting for both market- and non-market-based sources. To do so, I conducted surveys and ethnographies among Greater New Haven residents. The survey asks how residents access their culturally desirable foods and what barriers may prevent their access. For the ethnography, I accompany and aid participants as they source and prepare ingredients for a culturally desirable meal. This qualitative data is thematically analyzed using environmental justice and food sovereignty frameworks. Although prioritizing residents’ knowledge of their cultural foodways further complicates current understandings of food access, it is necessary to do so for working towards more inclusive and equitable food systems.