Abstract
Academic research on the Slow Food movement has tended to focus on Western developed nations. Italy, in particular, has received the majority of attention as the birthplace of the official movement. However, the Slow Food movement has become a global phenomenon with local groups and projects on every continent. This article explores the global structure of the Slow Food movement and the similarities and differences between movements in developed and developing nations. It offers an in-depth comparative analysis of the slow food movements in Kenya and Alberta, Canada, analysing the nature of local projects and the economic and cultural contexts in which they developed.
The analysis illustrates the close intersection of culture, identity and economy within the Slow Food movement. It also highlights the need to understand the movement not only as a “politics of consumption” – which the focus on Western nations promotes – but also as a “politics of production.” The global Slow Food movement encompasses the entire food system, from soil to table, as well as the cultural meanings and identities derived from all stages in the food process.
