I researched two forms of shortened food supply chain in Poland from the perspective of social relations. This involves qualitative analysis of interviews with the customers of seven open-air food markets in Małopolska region and the members of one Krakow cooperative. Such markets are traditional forms, continuously and deeply rooted in households’ everyday provision strategies, whereas food cooperatives are typical Alternative Food Networks inspired by Western experiences and have only existed in Poland for a few years. The two forms have distinct similarities, as they refer to directness and locality and are critical of dominant, mass economic institutions. However, the analysis of consumers’ interviews points to clear differences rooted in historical and structural determinants. These differences result in their different dynamic and contrasting roles in the food system and food culture of Poland. Owing to their inclusiveness and comparative popularity, open-air markets in Poland offer a universally accessible source of fresh produce. Furthermore, their strong social embeddedness increases their capacity to adapt to the current economic conditions and clients’ needs. The social-network nature of cooperatives, meanwhile, results in limitations in the scope of their operation, yet at the same time leads to innovative solutions and political narratives that are critical toward the mainstream food system. The criticism of markets, on the other hand, is based on conservative resistance, related to everyday food practices, private experiences, cultural values, and nostalgia.

The results of many studies of Central and Eastern European food networks suggest that the changes in local food systems are not a delayed repetition of their Western counterparts but have different dynamics resulting from the political and economic circumstances in the countries. To examine the specific sustainability potential of local food networks in Poland, this study compares the collectives based on novel alternative food networks and traditional networks. Drawing on the concept of actant in actor–network theory and content analysis methodology, the study identifies the specificity of these networks. The results show that traditional networks are more focused on the material core of practices, being geographically close, unified, and more specific regarding material actants of the networks. On the other hand, collectives based on Western-style alternative food networks are more widely distributed, reaching out to more abstract and distant actants.

Jedzenie i inne rzeczy to poszerzenie socjologicznej perspektywy patrzenia na jedzenie oraz systemy żywnościowe. Ewa Kopczyńska ujawnia aktorów, którzy uczestniczą w praktykach konsumpcyjnych i tym samym determinują naszą jedzeniową codzienność. Wskazuje granice, wyzwania i potencjał zmiany społecznej dokonującej się w sferze jedzeniowych stylów życia. Wyjaśnia, na czym polega polityczny charakter zrzeszeń, które nieustannie zawiązują i reorganizują się wokół jedzenia. Książka nie daje odpowiedzi na pytanie, dokąd zmierza system żywnościowy. Proponuje natomiast narzędzia do namysłu i działania na rzecz pożądanych scenariuszy zmiany. Przedstawione studia przypadku to naprawdę solidna teoria aktora-sieci (Actor-Network Theory – ANT). Autorka umiejętnie i zarazem krytycznie posługuje się narzędziami tej koncepcji. Konsekwentnie pozostaje na gruncie ontologii ANT. Wiąże ze sobą sferę mikro i makro, śledzi translacje, pokazuje, jak działają aktorzy. Jednocześnie trzyma się blisko danych, więc nie jest to ANT spekulatywna, ale ugruntowana. Wreszcie nie ucieka od polityczności trzech badanych kolektywów. Jedzenie jest tu polityką uprawianą innymi środkami. Z recenzji wydawniczej dr. hab. Łukasza Afeltowicza, prof. AGH

Food and eating serve as an expression of social relations and roles as well as a mechanism sustaining or challenging social structure and roles. This also includes marking and reproducing gender roles and identities. With the profound social, cultural, and political changes that have taken place there recently, Poland offers an interesting case study for grasping the changing meaning of both food and gender and the relationship between them. The aim of this article is therefore twofold—to present available data on food choices among men and women (mostly dietary choices) and to offer a socio-cultural interpretation of the data by discussing it in the context of emerging food regimes and recent gender transformations. In other words, we will be interested in finding out how food is incorporated in doing gender in the Polish context and how it can be interpreted in the light of scholarly work on both gender and food.

The COVID-19 pandemic created new challenges for actors in food systems. In many regions it threatened food security, well-being, and local economies. Its dynamic poses new kinds of problems and questions about sustainability, food sovereignty, and resilience of food systems. This paper focuses on the specificities of those actors in the system that are deprived of financial capital and are economically vulnerable but nevertheless manifest unique flexibility and develop diverse resilience strategies. Small, local, and informal food networks possess specific non-material resources, which shape their reaction to crisis. The results of a qualitative analysis of three case studies from Krakow (Poland) suggest that small-scale, informal structures, direct communication channels, and a pro-innovation environment together with a strong focus on social values are conducive to formation of resilient responses to the crisis. Soft capitals (relational, organizational, and knowledge capital) should therefore not be treated as a compensation for shortages of financial capital, but as important and effective resources for creating sustainable food systems.

Celem artykułu jest przedstawienie sprawczości technologii komunikacyjnych. Sprawczość ta ujmowana jest w sposób kontekstowy i relacyjny, a narzędziem jej rozumienia i analizy jest kategoria socjomaterialności w teorii praktyk społecznych. Rozpoznając socjomaterialny charakter technologii komunikacyjnych, wskazujemy na wymiary praktyk, takie jak cielesność, czasowość i przestrzenność, które z jednej strony są kontekstem socjomaterialnej sprawczości, z drugiej zaś materią, którą technologie przekształcają. Rezultatem analizy jest identyfikacja cech sprawczości technologii, wykraczających poza czysto komunikacyjne funkcje. Materiałem empirycznym dla analizy są trzy rodzaje lokalnych, codziennych praktyk społecznych: towarzyskie, żywnościowe i sąsiedzkie.