The focus of this research is on the South African Food Lab (SAFL) and the ongoing process of transformative change within the Soutch African food system.
Case study
The South African Food Lab (SAFL)
Aim
The aim of the research is to use the concept of 'attractor' as a metaphorical tool to explore the emergence of path-dependencies in complex, dynamic social-ecological systems. This project further aims to investigate the role these 'attractors' may play in enabling or inhibiting efforts to create transformative shifts towards justice and sustainability in the South African food system.
Theoretical Framework
This project seeks to employ a Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS) perspective, social-ecological systems (SES) transformation theory and attractors to engage with the complex process of ongoing transformative change in context of the South African food system.
Methodological Approach
This project seeks to center knowledge co-production and practice/tacit-based theorizing in its methodological approach by collaborating closely with SA researchers and practicioners engaged with the ongoing processes of transformative change in SA food system. The project also seek to use various qualitative and quantitative methods, and inter- and transdiciplinary approaches to conduct studies.
Example research questions:
1. How do historical phenomenon such as apartheid and the Cape Town water crisis function as ‘attractors,’ constraining or enabling transformative change in the SA food system?
2. What ‘attractors,’ if any, are emerging from efforts to enable transformative change towards justice and sustainability, such as agroecology initatives, culture/arts-based resistance movements, ‘food justice’ advocacy?"
