Beyond the divide: rethinking relationships between alternative and conventional food networks in Europe

Abstract

Inthispaper,wedeveloptheburgeoningresearchagendaonalternativefood networks in Europe. Through the concept of ‘embeddedness’, we argue for a muchmorenuancedandcomplexunderstandingoftherelationshipsbetween conventional and alternative food chains—and, by extension, of their implications for rural development. Rather than viewing alternative and conventionalfoodnetworksasseparatespheres,weseethemashighlycompetitive and as relational to one another and argue for the need to examine the links morecritically.Inparticular,wehighlighttheneedtoexplorethecompetitive relationships that alternative food networks have with the conventional sector to expose power imbalances and the effect these may have on wider rural development processes.