Food Justice

This book addresses gaps in food justice research by offering a comprehensive, interdisciplinary synthesis of current evidence. It defines key concepts, outlines major frameworks, identifies barriers and enablers to food justice at various scales, and evaluates community-based and policy interventions in urban food systems. The methodology follows PRISMA guidelines and uses the SPICE framework to structure research questions. After screening and a tailored quality assessment for diverse study types, 145 studies were selected and organized using a five-dimensional thematic taxonomy. The findings show that food injustice is a systemic issue shaped by racial capitalism, colonial histories, neoliberal governance, and spatial exclusion. Racialized food system workers face ongoing food insecurity, and top-down interventions, such as adding supermarkets to food deserts, are ineffective without addressing deeper socioeconomic inequalities. Grassroots food initiatives promote community self-determination but often face tensions and risk being co-opted or depoliticized. This work advances the field by moving beyond isolated case studies to provide an integrated, multi-scalar perspective on structural change. By emphasizing decolonial, anti-racist, and pluralistic frameworks, including the "justice multiple," it offers a strong conceptual guide for intersectional research. It also provides practical recommendations for policymakers to shift from market- or charity-based approaches to structural reforms that redistribute power, resources, and decision-making authority.