SDC@CSPS and RSO@CSPS invite you to
Geopolitics of food, nature and development: crises, narratives and challenges

Seminar with
dr. Natalia Mamonova –  RURALIS, Norway
prof. Anja Nygren – University of Helsinki , Finland
prof. Mike Goodman  – University of Reading, UK

📅 Date: February 12, 2025
⏰ Time: 10:00–12:00
📍 Location: Leeuwenborch B0077, Campus Wageningen

Join us for an engaging seminar featuring three distinguished scholars exploring critical global issues at the intersection of political ecology, food security, and environmental transformations.

Topics and Speakers:

1. ‘From Climate Saviour to Tinfoil Hats and Factory Slop: An Analysis of the Narrative Grammars of Cultured Meat in UK Food and Farming Media’ by prof. Mike Goodman (University of Reading, UK)

Prof. Goodman investigates the evolving media narratives surrounding cultured meat (CM) in the UK. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis of food and farming media, this study uncovers how CM is framed as a technological solution, an environmental virtue, and a threat to traditional farming, with narratives ranging from optimism to conspiracy.

About Professor Mike Goodman: Mike Goodman is a Professor of Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Reading, specializing in the cultural politics of food, humanitarianism, and the environment. An accomplished scholar with over 85 publications, he explores the framing of sustainability, justice, and power structures in media and society. Mike has held visiting professorships at prominent institutions and edits two influential book series shaping the fields of food geographies and studies.

2. ‘Food Security in Times of Geopolitical Crisis: What Lessons Can We Learn from Ukrainian Agriculture?’ by dr. Natalia Mamonova (RURALIS, Norway)

Ukraine, known as the breadbasket of Europe, plays a critical role in global food security. Dr. Mamonova will delve into the impacts of Russia’s war on Ukrainian agriculture, examining domestic food shortages, global food crises, and the lessons necessary to build resilient food systems in the face of global disruptions.

About Dr. Natalia Mamonova: Dr. Natalia Mamonova, a senior researcher at RURALIS, Norway, specializes in rural political sociology, agrarian transformation, and food sovereignty, particularly in post-socialist Europe. With a PhD from the International Institute of Social Studies, she has led significant projects, including studies on right-wing populism in rural Europe and the impacts of the war in Ukraine on global food systems. Natalia also examines rural discontent and refugee food systems through various international research collaborations.

3. ‘Layered Resources and Layered Politics: Dispossession by Environmental Degradation at the Frontlines of Oil Extraction’ by prof. Anja Nygren (University of Helsinki, Finland)

Prof. Nygren explores the intricate dynamics of environmental degradation and resource politics in Mexico’s oil extraction zones. Drawing on ethnographic research and theoretical insights from political ecology, this presentation sheds light on the struggles of fisher-farmers facing salinisation and contamination, and the layered forms of resistance and repression in extractivist conflicts.

About Professor Anja Nygren: Anja Nygren is a Professor of Global Development Studies and Director of the “Political, Societal, and Regional Changes” Doctoral Program at the University of Helsinki, where she is also Adjunct Professor of Environmental Policy. With extensive field experience in Latin America, her research focuses on global extractivism, environmental justice, and socio-environmental conflicts, particularly in the context of hydrocarbon extraction and resource frontiers.

For questions, please reach out to Bram Buscher (bram.buscher@wur.nl) or Joost Jongerden (joost.jongerden@wur.nl)