CRITICAL METABOLISMS is a monthly working group on the interdisciplinary studies of food production, distribution, and consumption. We include academics, farmers, designers, scientists, and other eaters concerned about the future of how food is grown.
We met in-person from July 2018 to February 2020 at NYU Nutrition and Food, Agritecture Consulting, or urban farms. We are currently meeting via Zoom.
Suggested topics to discuss include the history, anthropology, and sociology of agriculture, especially in cities; promissory food technologies and food futurism (cellular ag, vertical farming, space ag, precision ag, etc.); race in agriculture; gender in agriculture; agricultural biotechnology; metabolism in the broad sense (including the metabolisms of buildings and cities, etc.); the relationship between food production regimes and modes of dwelling and sociality; food and value in capitalism; the politics of food regulation (food safety, GAP, etc.); shifting categories of "natural," "synthetic," "organic," "local," and the like; plants and/as data; ecological design and biomimicry; and rural–urban connections. Further suggestions are welcome.
Meeting formats have included discussions of a group of readings, workshops of members' draft writings, practical workshops, scientific presentations, and conversations with special guests.
We met in-person from July 2018 to February 2020 at NYU Nutrition and Food, Agritecture Consulting, or urban farms. We are currently meeting via Zoom.
Suggested topics to discuss include the history, anthropology, and sociology of agriculture, especially in cities; promissory food technologies and food futurism (cellular ag, vertical farming, space ag, precision ag, etc.); race in agriculture; gender in agriculture; agricultural biotechnology; metabolism in the broad sense (including the metabolisms of buildings and cities, etc.); the relationship between food production regimes and modes of dwelling and sociality; food and value in capitalism; the politics of food regulation (food safety, GAP, etc.); shifting categories of "natural," "synthetic," "organic," "local," and the like; plants and/as data; ecological design and biomimicry; and rural–urban connections. Further suggestions are welcome.
Meeting formats have included discussions of a group of readings, workshops of members' draft writings, practical workshops, scientific presentations, and conversations with special guests.