BUA Institution

Freie Universität Berlin

Research Description

My research focuses on how food movements challenge inequalities within the agri-food system, envisioning and enacting more just and sustainable futures as part of a socio-ecological transformation. In my current project, which focuses mostly on the German context, I analyse women’s claims and repertoires of action in urban and rural food initiatives, in order to understand how they enact political and societal change.

Where in the world has your career been largely based until now?

So far, my career has largely been based in Germany and Brazil, where I have studied, and conducted research in Heidelberg, São Paulo and Berlin. My current research projects took me to rural areas, providing new opportunities to engage with people beyond urban settings. 

Why Berlin?

Berlin is a unique place to learn about, participate in and engage with food democracy, feminist activism and socio-ecological transformation. With its dense landscape of food initiatives, social movements, political institutions and critical academic communities, it is an interesting place to explore the intersection of struggles over food, gender, care and sustainability in everyday life and politics. The entanglements and barriers between the capital and Brandenburg are also very interesting when it comes to local food systems, particularly from a historical and political perspective, and in terms of its resilience, cultural heritage and future imaginaries. 

What fascinates you about your research area?

I am fascinated by how something as everyday as food can raise big societal questions about democracy, care, and power. Food movements translate abstract concepts, such as justice and sustainability, into tangible actions, such as farming, shopping, and cooking, and demonstrate that "food is political!" Thus, food activism has the potential to transform politics from the ground up by being grounded in diverse realities, needs, and practices. At the same time, agro-food politics are an arena of institutional negotiation intersecting with many other political topics, such as housing, infrastructure, and security. This diversity and multilayered character make food studies an exciting and growing field of research that remains tangible and hands-on, as everyone can relate to food in some way. 

How did you become interested in your specific topic?

I came to my topic through the interaction and learning from and with social movements. Encounters with activists in Brazil and Germany showed me how struggles over land, social justice, reproductive tasks, and democracy are condensed in the structural hegemonic food regime as well as part of everyday practices. Food as a lens made it tangible to look deeper into how central, yet invisible, women’s work is in these struggles.

Rumour has it that nobody is perfect. Which skill or ability have you really had to work on in your career (or are you perhaps still working on)?

Mindful and ethical research and collaborations with activists are inspiring. However, they also require clear boundaries to ensure that care for others and oneself does not get lost along the way. Setting these boundaries and simultaneously "staying with the trouble," to borrow Donna Haraway's concept, is what I will continuously work on. 

What is something surprising that people might not know about you?

People are often surprised to learn that I was trained as a translator in addition to studying the social sciences. Working between languages and cultures has profoundly influenced my thinking about concepts such as democracy, and justice, as well as the ease with which important nuances can be lost when moving between academic, activist, and everyday vocabularies. I am grateful for the doors that different languages already open for me, allowing me to "travel between" and "make sense of" different worlds. I am also grateful for the opportunity to learn from, enjoy and mostly laugh about funny misunderstandings, false friends, and being lost in translation.