SUPERVISOR: Marianne PENKER

PROJECT ASSIGNED TO: Hanna EDELMANN

This dissertation examines relational and geographical proximity in alternative food networks. Alternative food networks try to overcome the challenges of the globalized, industrialized food system through close relationships among actors. The dissertation is based on literature and a comparative case study approach. First, the dissertation operationalizes the proximity framework for an analysis of the relationships within the alternative food network. Second, this dissertation investigates the effects of different dimensions of relational proximity (specifically organizational, institutional, cognitive, and social proximity) and geographical proximity on the actors, by comparing different relationship coffee models. In this alternative food network, coffee farmers and buyers directly communicate and interact even though they are located on different continents. Relational proximity has increased recognition, pride, the coffee quality, and thus farm-gate prices, and supported stable long-term relationships. However, proximate relationships don’t change colonial patterns (farmers producing raw materials, buyers and roasters selling the final product to consumers, earning the highest profit margins). Third, the dissertation compares the findings from these cross-continental alternative food networks to a local Austrian Community Supported Agriculture food network. This dissertation thus contributes to the reflexive localism discourse by demonstrating that AFN that stretch beyond continents can also show organizational, institutional, cognitive, and social proximity.