Navigating Urban Agroecological Research with the Social Sciences

This chapter discusses agroecology as a critical, reflexive social science praxis useful for learning about (and changing) urban agroecosystems. Urban agroecosystems as social-ecological spaces are often explored through participatory action research in which social relations––particularly power relations––are central concerns. This is true whether or not research teams are aware of such dynamics. From our collective experience––usually in teams lucky enough to include both community and university expertise on social relationships––we identified five “lineages” that have influenced our urban political agroecology research. Considering how these lineages enable teams to retain a focus on important social questions as part of their work, we seek to make the social sciences easier to engage for urban agroecology researchers. We also hope to build competency and recognition around the complexity and daunting nature of the colonial, gendered, racialized, and classist power relations embedded in urban agroecologies––both as social and ecological spaces and as sites of research. For urban food cultivation projects to serve the community goals often associated with them, we argue it is important for researchers to expand their research methods toolkits to include: adequate humility about the scope of work possible, respect for knowledge embedded in relationships, and commitment to the challenging politics of truly participatory collaboration. This chapter discusses agroecology as a critical, reflexive social science praxis useful for learning about (and changing) urban agroecosystems. It focuses on urban agroecology research that is informed by the social sciences. In its broadest sense, social science contributes rich histories, insights, tools, and action strategies for exploring society–environment relationships within urban agoroecologies. The chapter introduces social science concepts to help scholars navigate the complex social relations that are always present in urban agroecologies. Urban agroecological research methodologies growing from environmental justice lineages might, therefore, not only ask whether the remediation and redevelopment reduces the toxicity, but also study, for example, the economics of how surrounding land values change. Urban agroecology can therefore be seen as an emerging branch of the critical social science, an engaged research praxis embedded within the scholarly traditions and the part of wider agroecology movements.