Foodsupport/Fooddemocracy, volunteers and citizen participation

Abstract

This thesis delved into the potential of food democracy as a solution to food insecurity while simultaneously examining how a non-profit hybrid organization embodies various institutional logics. By conducting an extensive literature review, the study initially contextualized neoliberalism and welfare hybridization. Subsequently, it juxtaposed the concepts of Food Democracy (N. Hassanein) and Empowerment (N. Eliasoph), which unveiled four aligning principles: Collective Civic Engagement, Local Diversity, Transparent Participation, and Sustainability. Employing a case study approach centered on Toontje vzw, a voluntary food and social support organization in Ghent, the study uncovered how these pivotal concepts manifested in the organization's operational approach, analyzed through Thematic Analysis. Additionally, the organization's approach was contextualized within the Institutional Logics Approach (Skelcher and Smith), revealing a blended hybrid of community, state, market, and corporate logics. Notably, the study identified operational challenges, critiques, and worries within the organization voiced by volunteers and beneficiaries, which serve as a basis for future research. Overall, this research offered valuable insights into the literature on hybrid non-profits, food democracy, and context-specific knowledge, underscoring the potential of small players in fostering a more food-democratic and sustainable world.

— Abstract, taken from the master dissertation.