Megan Larmer

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College: College of Social Sciences and International Studies
Discipline: Sociology and Philosophy
Department: Anthropology
Research Centre/Unit: SPA

I am an anthropologist interested in the ways that food mediates, delineates, and epitomizes the relationship of societies to the natural world and to each other.

My research site is New York's Hudson Valley, where I am employed by Glynwood (an agricultural NGO) as Director of their Regional Food Program. Study of the economic, social, and ecological relationships that energize the social projects aimed at regionalizing the region's food system present an opportunity to explore tense political dualities: hope/despair; rurality/urbanity, tradition/innovation, embeddedness/commodification, etc. As an engaged anthropologist, I conduct my research in service to increasing the equity, ecological sustainability, and vitality of agrarian communities.

Previously, I earned my MA in Food Anthropology at SOAS; directed strategy and network engagement at Slow Food USA; managed a large farmers market; worked in the restaurant industry for a decade; and put my BA in Theatre Arts from UCLA to use in little black boxes across Chicago.