Zhenzhong Si

The convergence of alternative food networks within “rural development” initiatives: the case of the New Rural Reconstruction Movement in China†

Rural sociologists and geographers have conceptualised different rural development trajectories including “the agri-industrial model”, “the post-productivist model” and “the rural development model”. Alternative food networks (AFNs) are increasingly recognised as a “forerunner” and a critical component of the emerging “rural development model” in the West. Meanwhile, Marsden and Franklin [2013. Replacing neoliberalism: theoretical implications of the rise of local food movements. Local Environment, 18 (5), 636–641] pointed out that there is a “local trap” in the current conceptualisation of AFNs that overemphasises their local embeddedness and heterogeneity. This “local trap” marginalises AFNs and, therefore, hinders their potential for transforming the industrialised conventional food system. The convergence and scaling-up of fragmented AFNs have been recognised as important ways to address this marginalisation issue and thus have attracted considerable attention. However, current studies of the convergence of AFNs focus mainly on the role of food-centred organisations without recognising the role of the emerging “rural development” initiatives in the convergence of AFNs. Based on in-depth interviews with key stakeholders and analysis of secondary data, this paper uses the New Rural Reconstruction Movement (NRRM), an emerging alternative rural development movement in China, as an example to illustrate how the NRRM opens up a novel space for the convergence of AFNs. We argue that the interrelationship between AFNs and rural development is indeed reciprocal. The NRRM, following the “rural development” trajectory, functions as a hub for the convergence and scaling-up of various alternative food initiatives. Strategies for achieving convergence include constructing a “common ground” for these initiatives, establishing national alliances and organisations, sharing knowledge and exchanging personnel among them.

Food safety in urban China: Perceptions and coping strategies of residents in Nanjing

Food safety has become an increasingly pressing sociopolitical issue in China due to the outbreak of food safety scandals since the 2000s. Existing studies have highlighted the socio-economic context of this issue, its drivers and implications. Yet, few studies have examined the perceptions of food safety conditions and strategies undertaken by consumers in their daily lives to cope with the challenge. Based on a city-wide survey of 1210 households and 36 interviews in Nanjing, China, this research adopts an ‘everyday’ perspective of analysis to investigate Nanjing residents’ perceptions of, and strategies to cope with, the food safety challenge. Perceptions include the severity of the food safety problem, the least safe foods, as well as causes and responsibilities. Coping strategies include various approaches to food access and food preparation. This article also compares the validity of potential sources of trust in food. On the one hand, the study demonstrates how the structural changes in China’s food system (i.e. chemical intensive food production and elongated food supply chains) constitute the major problems and causes of food safety issues. On the other hand, it reveals the considerable latitude within which Nanjing residents proactively exercise their agency when facing food safety challenges.

Book Review: Development Theory: Deconstructions/Reconstructions

Progress in Development Studies 12, 2&3 (2012) pp. 245–257 The Malthusian Trap is introduced in the narrative of economic development not only because of the magnitude of neoclassical economic analysis and the relevance of Malthus’ work, but also by the signifi cance of some more recent works by Meadows. Especially appropriate in this book is the analysis on externalities which might result, for example, from global warming or from the decline in birth rates. In spite of the fact that externalities are certainly taken into account and analyzed in the book, it would be useful to have some specifi c discussions on causality relationships between growth and more specifi c environmental or technological externalities. Probably one of the most remarkable analytic narratives of the recent past involves the failed experiment with Communism, as it was played out in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR). Although the failure of the Soviet experiment and the problems of transition are clearly discussed in the book, perhaps the strength of empirical analysis could have been improved with some further description on data sources and analytical methodologies. This work considers that there is at present no satisfactory explanation of the inception of modern economic development, and that most of the works are centred on different aspects of theory and empirical research. The book realizes the need to integrate the two approaches, moving beyond the proximate causes of economic theory to review the role in an analytic narrative of signifi cant ultimate causes – geography, risk environments, human capital and institutions – and fi nally proves to be a stimulating work for those researchers interested in alternative methodologies for economic analysis, and very specially in economic development.