Möhlmann, Lynn (2020) The social infrastructure of community food initiatives in Berlin: A case study research. Master thesis.
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Abstract
In the 21ste century, a general rise in citizen initiatives in western Europe is experienced. Citizen initiatives act in a specific geographical context, which can be an urban or rural context. They influence the social fabric of this geographical area. Community food initiatives are a type of citizen initiatives emphasizing food-related topics. Research has shown the motivations of the individual participants in these initiatives, but there is a lack of knowledge about the internal structures of these initiatives. The research will focus on the question: “How do elements of the social infrastructure play a role within the functioning and development of urban community food initiatives?”. An answer to the question will be gained through a case study research on four community food initiatives in Berlin. The theoretical framework that is used to understand these initiatives better is the social infrastructure. This consists of the way people with the initiative interact with each other, which resources and skills they need, how they collect these resources, and how they are embedded in internal and external networks. Results show that the social infrastructure is a valuable concept to study community food initiatives in an urban context. The social infrastructure provides a possibility to understand urban community food initiatives from a broader perspective and provides insight into their way of functioning and their organizational structure. The analysis provides insight into the internal structure of the initiatives and the external relations to outside parties, which are essential for community development. The results also show barriers that can hamper development, such as a lack of formal organizational structures and cultural diversity. Furthermore, results indicate that due to the diversity of people participating within the initiatives, a diverse set of resources and skills are provided. In addition, the limited external networks in which the initiatives are embedded, can obstruct the exchange of knowledge and resources, and therefore, hamper community development.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
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| Degree programme: | Society, Sustainability and Planning (MSc Socio-spatial Planning) |
| Supervisor: | Horlings, L.G. |
| Date Deposited: | 29 Jul 2020 12:40 |
| Last Modified: | 29 Jul 2020 12:40 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/3226 |
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