Jessica Duncan, Associate Professor at the Rural Sociology Group, discusses her passion for exploring the politics of food system transformation and how collaborative projects like SWIFT are driving gender-inclusive changes in agriculture.
“For the past decade, I’ve been privileged to work with an incredibly diverse and committed group at the Rural Sociology Group. Together, we challenge assumptions and address structural barriers to change. Projects like SWIFT, which focuses on gender-inclusive policies in agriculture, demonstrate the real-world impact of our work.”
Read more about the SWIFT project here.
Author Archives: Christianne
Publication | Exploring the global connections of our food system
The complexity of food production and consumption in the Netherlands is deeply intertwined with international dynamics, requiring new approaches to sustainability. In this new publication, ten essays explore how global interconnections influence the ability of governments to shape policies and drive societal change within the Dutch food system.
Our colleagues Bettina Bock and Han Wiskerke contributed an essay, “Food from Near and Far: Shifting Relationships in the Food Chain.” They explore how agriculture has evolved since WWII, marked by modernization, globalization, and the rise of local food initiatives. These shifts not only affect nature and landscapes but also challenge how we balance efficiency, sustainability, and social cohesion.
You can download and read the publication here (available in Dutch only).
Video series | Anna Roodhof: Exploring sustainable solutions in food forestry through meaningful research.
Anna Roodhof, PhD Candidate at the Rural Sociology Group, discusses her passion for exploring the social and economic possibilities of food forestry in the Netherlands, and the collaborative spirit that drives innovation at the Rural Sociology Group.
“At Rural Sociology, I’m passionate about meaningful work that bridges research and practice. My focus on the social and economic possibilities of food forestry in the Netherlands allows me to collaborate with both practitioners and colleagues, fostering an environment of shared knowledge and innovation.
🔗 Anna regularly shares updates about her experiences as a food forest sociologist on her personal blog. Take a look here.
Call for working groups
Navigating Rural Transitions: Exploring liveable futures
European Society for Rural Sociology
July 7-10, 2025
Riga, Latvia
Submit a proposal to convene a Working Group for the next ESRS conference.
Our focus
The 2025 ESRS conference will take up the theme of ‘Navigating rural transitions: Exploring liveable futures’.
As we navigate ongoing transitions, an exploration of liveable rural futures calls on us to consider the diverse range of challenges and possibilities that lie ahead: from a just, sustainable, and ‘worth living’ futures for all, to survivable or even catastrophic futures, and everything in between.
Understood this way, the pursuit of a liveable rural future requires engagement with critical social-political and social-ecological questions related to, among others, farming, agriculture, and food systems, justice and discriminations, the politics of knowledge, social mobilisations and agency, migration and mobility, technologies, connections and solidarity, care and hope. Additionally, the importance of (local) democracy, collective action, and the development of (relatively) autonomous forms of organisation in rural areas, such as the rural commons, may also be considered.
Addressing these topics means engaging with the lived experiences and practices of people today, while also taking into account what they aspire and hope for. This requires working with, questioning and developing new theories and methods. It also requires discussions about the roles of researchers and what type of actions are needed.
With this in mind, we welcome proposals for Working Groups (WG) that seek to explore and advance understandings of what is happening and what needs to happen to ensure liveable rural futures in the face of continuing uncertainty and multiple, intersecting, and ongoing ‘crises’. In particular, we are interested in proposals for WGs that interrogate and engage with the different dynamics, practices, tensions, contradictions, and entanglements involved in realising liveable rural futures.
We invite contributions in a variety of formats: academic presentations and round-tables, audio/video materials, live performances (music, drama, poetry), photo or art exhibitions, and others.
Continue readingPublication | Finding joy, creativity and meaning through unusual interdisciplinary collaborations
The joy of interdisciplinary collaboration! Yes, there are barriers and challenges, but in setting up the Centre for Unusual Collaborations (CUCo) the main surprising outcomes were joy, a sense of meaning and creativity. We coined this ‘collateral happiness’.
With due pride we share: new paper out now! Recounting the journey of the first two years of the Centre for Unusual Collaborations; its origins, lessons learned and recommendations for universities and funders to better support unusual collaborations.
The paper elaborates on three roadblocks to funding inter- and transdisciplinary research, as well as how these were overcome – or not! The three roadblocks are:
1) Rewards and recognition – and this remains a major hurdle to this day!
2) Funding trust-building and interdisciplinary collaboration
3) Competencies, tools and approaches
Congratulations to all the authors! And great thanks to Springer Nature Group Humanities and Social Sciences Communications for the smooth reviewing and editorial process.
View the publication here
Rural Sociology Wageningen University 