Kristin’s research focuses on social justice in the global food system through the lenses of critical food geography and action research.
One branch of her research examines social equity dimensions of urban agriculture and food policy, about which she has researched and published extensively.
A second branch of her scholarship is participatory food systems research and scholar activism, including work with numerous community-based food, agriculture, and social justice organizations. She is co-founder and coordinator of the American Association of Geographers Food and Agriculture Specialty Group’s Food Justice Scholar-Activism/Activist Scholar community of practice. A new, collaborative project in 2021 explores linkages between farmer seed sovereignty and heritage grains, and seeks to strengthen the development of regional grain economies in Eastern France.
In 2022, we began strategic planning for a new Food and Social Justice Action Research Lab (FJAR Lab), housed in the Food Studies Program at The New School. The Lab builds on Kristin’s long-standing work with action research and collaborations with community-based food and social justice organizations.
The vision for the FJAR Lab is to contribute to racial and economic justice in the food system through critical and participatory action research – in New York City and State, nationally and internationally.
Projects as of May 2024 are listed below. We are in the process of updating the website with additional information. Read about our team here and please check back or get in touch here!
current projects
Examining the Social Equity Implications of the USDA Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production's County Office and Granting Program through a Racial Equity Lens: A Pilot Study. (2023-24)
This study seeks to address informational gaps about the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (OUAIP) and additional 2018 Farm Bill urban agriculture provisions, as they relate to racial equity. The project is supported by funds from the Socially Disadvantaged Farmers and Ranchers Policy Research Center at Alcorn State University, Lorman, MS.
Confronting Ethno-Racial Discrimination in Agricultural Work in France. (2022-25)
This project investigates ethno-racial inequities and discrimination in agricultural work in France — with particular focus on foreign and/or racialized workers in the South of France — through racial justice lenses more common in the United States. The scientific aim is to document possible inequities, understand their social and spatial dimensions, and identify social and policy innovations to promote fairer working conditions. It is funded by the Transatlantic Research Partnership, a program of FACE Foundation and the French Embassy.
Heritage Grains and Food Sovereignty in France
As farmers seek to maintain their livelihoods and traditional agroecological practices in the context of climate change; as consumers are increasingly interested in products made from “heritage” or non-hybrid seeds, there is a potential for synergies to support food sovereignty and artisanal foods.
This project, from 2021-23, examined the potentially interrelated trajectories of: farmer-led stewardship of land races of cereal grains/blés de pays and re-emerging regional markets for locally-sourced bakery products in France. Participatory research in the Parisian and Grand Est regions of France included a collaboration with the French organic agriculture organization Bio en Grand Est and through Kristin’s role as Associated Researcher at the European School of Political and Social Sciences. Read a summary of the project in English/en français. Read the final report/rapport final en français ici.
Photo credit: Kristin Reynolds
Strategic Planning for the FJAR Lab. (2022-24)
In order to ground the Lab in community needs, we are conferring with trusted leaders in the New York City food and social justice community about action research in which the FJAR Lab may engage to support their work in the short, medium, and long term. This process has been supported in part by a Faculty grant from the Tishman Environment and Design Center at The New School.
Resources:
During the FJAR Lab strategic planning process, we heard that providing lists of potential funders for food and social justice work could be helpful. While the FJAR Lab is not a clearing house, nor a foundation, we offer three initial resources here:
A journal article on funding for community-academic collaborations co-authored by Kristin: Block, D. and Reynolds, K. (Equal authorship)(2021) Funding a Peoples’ Praxis, Annals of the American Association of Geographers, 111:6, 1705-172. (Please contact Kristin if you need access to this article.)