Food as Commons or Commodity in Academia

* Article: The idea of food as commons or commodity in academia. A systematic review of English scholarly texts. By Jose Luis Vivero Pol. Journal of Rural Studies 53: 182 - 201

URL = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/

Description

Jose Luis Vivero Pol:

"I have analysed how scholars have privileged one value-based narrative of food (food as a commodity) over the others (food as a commons or public good), the role of economists as main shapers of dominant ontological narratives and the options that could be unlocked if other phenomenological narratives of food can be unfolded. I have done a systematic review of scholarly papers since 1900.

Higlights:

• Academia has privileged the value-based consideration of food as a commodity over commons. • Since 1900, only 179 references with food as commons or public good vs c. 50,000 with food as commodity. • The economic valuation is rather ontological and blocked other interpretations and policy options. • Since the 2008 food crisis, other narratives are explored in academia (commons, public good). • Valuing food as a commons, a social construct, would unlock so far unpermitted food policies."