Specialty Group

Geographies of Food and Agriculture

The mission of the Geographies of Food and Agriculture is to be instrumental in creating networking opportunities for students and faculty who study food and agricultural geographies but may be spread across disparate subdisciplines of geography. This specialty group will also provide an intellectual home for the multiplicity of exciting studies being conducted surrounding issues of food and agriculture in every type of space: rural, urban, exurban, and wild. The group will also facilitate the sharing of ideas and relevant information among its members and others; stimulate research and intradisciplinary partnerships; and provide awards to facilitate research In the geographies of food and agriculture. The GFASG will also encourage, facilitate, and sponsor the organization of paper sessions and discussion panels at the annual meeting of the AAG.

The purpose of the Geographies of Food and Agriculture is to bring together AAG members who have mutual interests in the geography of food and agriculture.

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Geography Essentials, Planning and Development, Spatial Narratives

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The AAG has 75 specialty and affinity groups, which offer members valuable networking opportunities within their areas of interest. To join one of these groups, you must be an AAG member.

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Dues

Regular $8
Student $1

Leadership

FoodSG@communities.aag.org

Chair: Kristen Lowitt
Queen’s University
kristen.lowitt@queensu.ca

Social media

Twitter: @gfasg_aag
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/GFASG/

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Awards
Graduate Research Grant Competition

The AAG Geographies of Food and Agriculture Specialty Group (GFASG) invites proposals for the Graduate Research Grant Competition. The Master’s and Doctoral competitions are designed to support graduate students in the early stages of their research and graduate student experience (whether field, university, or home-based). Submission of a budget is not required.

The master’s level competition is intended to support their research-related expenses and funding in support of thesis research during the academic year. Proposals should clearly demonstrate scholarly merit and the ability to be successfully completed during the time-frame of the master’s research.

The doctoral competition is intended to support pilot research, or provide startup funds to help launch dissertation research. This award is not intended to supplement dissertation research that is already underway or near completion. Proposals should clearly demonstrate a scholarly contribution to geographic research on food and agriculture, an ability to successfully complete the proposed work, and a readiness to begin research in the upcoming calendar year.

The awards are competitive; applications are judged on the basis of scholarly merit of the project, organization and clarity of the proposal, qualifications of the student to conduct the proposed work, and their experiences and engagement with diversity. The Awards Committee is committed to equity in this process and especially encourages submissions from students of underrepresented groups including women, people of color, Indigenous people, persons with disabilities, and LGBTQ2S+ persons. As part of the application process, we therefore ask students to submit a diversity statement reflecting on their personal experiences with diversity and/or how their proposed research may engage with broader questions of diversity and equity as they pertain to food systems.

Each applicant must be a student member of the GFASG at the time of application, and the proposed project should be part of their thesis or dissertation research. Again, please note that applicants should not yet have completed research, as this is a seed grant. The amount of the research grant prize will be determined by membership and funds available to the GFASG at time of award. Past awards have been in the range of $400–600. Awards may not be given if no proposals are deemed suitable. Entries undergo review by the Geographies of Food and Agriculture Specialty Group’s Executive Committee.

GFASG Scholar-Activist Award

This award for outstanding scholar-activist/activist-scholar work is related to geographies of food and agriculture, including work that advances social, economic, and/or environmental justice through food and agriculture. This award will be given out biennially to a person, group, project, or organization that utilizes a scholar-activist/activist-scholar approach in their work to advance equity, justice, diversity, and inclusion in food and agricultural systems.

The nominees must demonstrate social or environmental justice commitments in food and agriculture systems and evidence of positive change (which can include impact through a continued and committed partnership). Priority will be given to scholars from underrepresented groups in geography, as well as graduate students.

This award will be recognized at the GFASG business meeting at the AAG annual meeting and through the GFASG newsletter, listserv, website, and social media. The recipient will receive a $250 monetary prize.

People, groups, or projects can self-nominate or be nominated by others. Nominations undergo review by the Geographies of Food and Agriculture Specialty Group’s Executive Committee.

 

For more information on either award, contact the GFASG chair.