The geographies of contemporary food networks in Kansas City

Abstract

The ways food and people negotiate their paths to consumption can provide insight into the modern world. By focusing on fresh produce and the many different networks through which it flows in Kansas City, this dissertation is a case study in local and global interaction. Its approach is ethnographic, asking what happens to the actors in these networks and how foods impact the lives of those involved. Although the literature suggests that people act in a rational way and respond to the actions of those with power, customers often ignore all the costs involved in food networks and act independently. The study concludes that people contest their association with food networks in a variety of ways that, collectively, provide valuable insight into contemporary society.