ABSTRACT

There has been a resurgence of community gardening over the past decade with a wide range of actors seeking to get involved, from health agencies aiming to increase fruit and vegetable consumption to radical social movements searching for symbols of non-capitalist ways of relating and occupying space. Community gardens have become a focal point for local activism in which people are working to contribute to food security, question the erosion of public space, conserve and improve urban environments, develop technologies of sustainable food production, foster community engagement and create neighbourhood solidarity. Drawing on in-depth case studies and social movement theory, Claire Nettle provides a new empirical and theoretical understanding of community gardening as a site of collective social action. This provides not only a more nuanced and complete understanding of community gardening, but also highlights its potential challenges to notions of activism, community, democracy and culture.

chapter 3|16 pages

Theorising Collective Action

chapter 4|26 pages

Community Gardening as Activism

chapter 5|29 pages

In The Garden

chapter 6|29 pages

Growing Community

chapter 7|24 pages

Producing Culture

chapter 9|8 pages

Conclusion