Between Imitation and Embeddedness: Three Types of Polish Alternative Food Networks

Wojciech Goszczyński, Ruta Śpiewak, Aleksandra Bilewicz and Michał Wróblewski
Additional contact information
Wojciech Goszczyński: Institute of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland
Ruta Śpiewak: Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, Polish Academy of Science, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland
Aleksandra Bilewicz: Institute of Agriculture and Rural Development, Polish Academy of Science, 00-330 Warsaw, Poland
Michał Wróblewski: Institute of Sociology, Nicolaus Copernicus University, 87-100 Torun, Poland

Sustainability, 2019, vol. 11, issue 24, 1-19

Abstract: The purpose of this article is to present the specific character of Alternative Food Networks (AFNs) in Poland as one of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE). We refer to the issue increasingly debated in the social sciences, that is, how to translate academic models embedded in specific social contexts to other contexts, as we trace the process of adapting ideas and patterns of AFNs developed in the West to the semi-peripheral context of CEE countries. Drawing on the theory of social practices, we divide the analysis into three essential areas: The ideas of the network, its materiality, and the activities within the network. We have done secondary analysis of the research material, including seven case studies the authors worked on in the past decade. We distinguish three network models—imitated, embedded and mixed—which allow us to establish a specific post-transformational AFN growth theory. Particular attention should be paid to the type of embedded networks, as they highlight the possibility of local and original forms of AFNs. Mixed networks show that ideas imported from abroad need to be considered in juxtaposition and connection with local circumstances.

Keywords: sustainable food systems; Central and Eastern Europe; imitation and embeddedness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/24/7059/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/11/24/7059/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:11:y:2019:i:24:p:7059-:d:296186

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability is currently edited by Ms. Alexandra Wu

More articles in Sustainability from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().