The Social Construction of International Food: A New Research Agenda

In this paper, we critically review current debates associated with the international food system. We then outline a revised set of conceptual and methodological principles linking globalization to the variable responses of actors engaged in the production, supply, and transfer of food. We look at the production of agricultural exports in Chile and food consumption in the United Kingdom as examples of ways in which networks of value are developed, while assessing some of the social consequences. The new rounds of interconnectivity between producer and consumer nations and regions present opportunities to develop a more comprehensive approach that reemphasizes spatial and social variability as major characteristics of globalization. In conclusion, the paper presents some key methodological questions arising from critical analysis. These contribute to the development of a research agenda for the international study of food.