ABSTRACT
Under the banner of urban food governance, cities globally are reorganizing their food systems. These collaborative efforts show promise to foster sustainable food economies and support greater participation in decision-making. Within the context of ongoing uneven development and environmental gentrification, however, these efforts may not always produce the most just results, exacerbating already existing raced and classed inequities. Building upon critical organizational communication and interdisciplinary food systems research, this chapter offers a critical communicative perspective on one gentrifying city’s urban food governance. Through document analysis, participant observation, and supportive interviews about food governance and displacement in Denver, Colorado, I frame urban food governance as a communicative process that may either reinforce food justice and/or food privilege in gentrifying urban foodscapes. I locate three communicative considerations to guide justice-oriented urban food governance efforts: navigating polysemic meanings among participants, reorganizing power within communication infrastructures, and embracing agonism for long-term accountability.
