Serving up food studies online: teaching about “food from somewhere” from nowhere

Abstract

Over the past decade, the popularity of food scholarship has led to an expansion of online food studies courses and programs. This push for online course offerings has been escalated due to the COVID-19 pandemic in early 2020. To date, much of the field has focused on examining the global concentration and integration of corporate food systems, often described as a “food from nowhere” regime. In contrast, the study of civil society organizations and social movements working toward more equitable and sustainable food systems points to the desire to (re)build a “food from somewhere” regime. How do these ideas of de-spatialization and re-spatialization apply to teaching online food studies courses? In this reflective essay, five scholars and postsecondary instructors share experiences with online teaching about food systems. Our collective reflection reveals a number of benefits for postsecondary institutions, instructors, students, and pedagogical approaches. We also share key concerns, such as engaging students and encouraging participation, constraints for developing personal connections and the additional time and energy required to prepare and deliver courses. Beyond these opportunities and tensions, we point to the need for instructors to consider the implications of teaching about “food from somewhere” from nowhere. We offer these reflections to begin a much-needed conversation about the current state and the future of online food studies education.