Rethinking Food Deserts: the practice and politics of food access

Abstract

Food deserts, low-income communities with low access to healthy, affordable foods, have received rapidly increasing attention in recent years from academic researchers, policy makers, and activists. Many studies have linked food deserts to increased rates of obesity and their related health consequences. Most recent research relies on spatial analyses which use physical distance from place of residence as a proxy for food access, focusing primarily on the supply of healthy foods into low income neighborhoods. However, this research has been founded on several questionable assumptions: that supermarkets are the best proxies for healthy food access, that access is best measured based on an individuals' place of residence, and that Euclidean distance is the best metric by which to measure food access. This dissertation provides an alternative framework for studying food access that moves from measures of proximity to a focus on everyday practices of food procurement. Chapter 2 traces the emergence of food deserts as a concept, arguing that by seeking to diagnose and "cure" these pathological spaces, action based on this research is attempt to govern through the neighborhood environment, restoring social order to these problematic spaces. Chapter 3 relies on disaggregated data from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) to understand how low-income individuals in the Twin Cities use their food assistance benefits. Chapter 4 builds on this analysis through a case study conducted in two Minneapolis neighborhoods. By asking participants to keep track of and reflect upon their daily mobility and food procurement, this case study shows how, where, and why neighborhood residents procure food. Together, these chapters emphasize the mobility of low-income residents and the frequency with which they shop and travel outside their neighborhoods, even when they lack consistent vehicle access. This research also emphasize the "grey spaces" of neighborhood food retail, especially discount grocers and ethnic markets that offer low prices or specialized goods, though these stores often have their own significant drawbacks. Chapter 5, the conclusion of the dissertation, summarizes its findings, reflects on the unresolved tensions of its mixed methods approach, and suggests future research directions.