Environmental and nutritional sociology

We analyse the human-environment relationship with a focus on social sustainability in the food system and develop concrete measures for social challenges - as a contribution to sustainability transformation.

We use empirical social research and participatory action research to explore the transformation towards a sustainable food system.

We pursue a praxeological approach and consider people in the context of their nutritional environment. For example, we develop recommendations for action and measures for socially equitable access to a healthy and sustainable diet for all people.

Our particular focus is on transdisciplinary, application-oriented research work involving various stakeholders, including consumers, citizens, companies, start-ups, political decision-makers and non-governmental organisations.

Expertise

Our team develops solutions for social challenges in the area of nutrition and offers concrete tools and interventions on the path to social sustainability.

Our range of services includes, for example

participatory and transdisciplinary research into cultural, social and economic factors of our nutrition and the development of recommendations for action and concrete actions (participatory action research).
the organisation, implementation and moderation of workshops and creative formats with stakeholders from politics, business, research and civil society to find a common vision (social innovation labs, living labs).
researching questions relating to the sociology of nutrition (including qualitative interviews, group discussions, observations and discourse analysis).

Our team has an extensive national and international network consisting of actors from politics, business, research and civil society. Using participatory approaches, we endeavour to jointly shape a more socially just, liveable and environmentally friendly future.

Projects

Current projects

SNSF project 'True Cost Accounting for Food'

True cost accounting for food (TCAF) has been put forward as a holistic approach for transforming food systems. This project aims to understand TCAF holistically in the Swiss context and thereby help its implementation.

Project page

Mercator project 'Cities as drivers of sustainable food systems'

In this project, we quantify the food flows in the food system of the city of Bern and estimate the proportion of regionally and/or sustainably produced food. Furthermore, we estimate the food waste flows at the level of the sales channels of the urban food system and model the production potential of regional agriculture under the current and a location-adapted production intensity.

We are also working with the people of Bern to develop strategies and recommendations for action for a more sustainable food system in Bern that guarantees the regenerative capacity of natural resources. In particular, we are developing solution strategies to give lower-income households access to sustainable and healthy food from the region.

This project is being carried out in cooperation with the Centre for Development and Environment (CDE) at the University of Bern and the Bernese Office for Environmental Protection.

Project page (in German)

Publications (selection)

Tackling food poverty! Towards healthy, sustainable, and socially just food environments through inclusive participation

A sustainable lifestyle within the limits of natural resources in the areas of housing and food is not equally feasible for all city dwellers. We therefore see social niche innovations such as urban villages, which want to organise their own lifestyles and live sustainably, as indispensable for structural change.

In the Urban Future Lab Webergut Zollikofen, we want to co-creatively explore a good life within a consumption corridor that enables a ‘one-planet lifestyle’. The project is a collaboration with the BFH-AHB, Urbane Dörfe and Bern Bio-Offensive, with additional financial support from the Federal Office for Spatial Development ARE.

Project page

Completed projects

SNSF project 'Eating green or eating meat? Eating crickets or eating beef?'

In this project, we are researching consumer behaviour in order to develop strategic measures for sustainable eating habits in Switzerland and Vietnam. Topics include the reduction of meat consumption and food waste as well as the consumption of meat alternatives such as insects. The project is being carried out jointly with the Vietnam National University of Agriculture.

Project page

Publications (selection)

BugBias - Nudging consumers to overcome bias against insect-based foodstuff

BugBias analyses the bias of consumers with regard to insect-based foods when choosing food in virtual reality (VR). Realistic VR representations are used to differentiate between edible insects and acceptance in order to derive promotion and marketing strategies and to design decision architectures for food choices with nudges (nudges: orientation aids for difficult decisions. Examples of nudges are positioning, colours, presentation, additional information, artificial scarcity or social norms of behaviour.

Project page