Waste Matters New Perspectives on Food and Society

'This collection not only evinces rising concerns about food waste in our world today, but also contributes to a deeper understanding of the cultural, political and economic dimensions of its occurrence. From the intimate space of the domestic kitchen to the realm of public policy--from the management of peelings, best-before dates and leftovers to the disposal of food industry by-products and food packaging--the contributors to this volume move beyond simple condemnations of 'needless waste' to shed new light on the many things that become 'food waste'; on how various categories of people conceive of and interact with these things as they are produced, transformed and consumed; and on what ultimately becomes of food waste, whether conceptually or materially. In so doing, the contributors to this collection lay the foundation for a more comprehensive analysis of food waste, as well as for more robust critical engagement with the multitude of societal problems to which its production may give rise.'
--Harry G. West, Professor of Anthropology and Chair of the Food Studies Centre, SOAS, University of London
'Food waste matters morally and politically, yet it has been conspicuously absent from academic concern. This excellent collection rectifies that omission. It provides a clear vindication that waste matters to studies of food and that sociology matters to thinking about food waste. Read it, and you will never think of food in quite the same way again.'
--Professor Nicky Gregson, University of Durham
'Waste Matters draws our attention to crucially important issues that have been ignored by scholars for far too long. This sparkling collection is sure to become a foundational work for anyone working on the social side of sustainability.It provides a vital new perspective on the importance of waste at the crucial intersection of food, culture and the environment.'
--Richard Wilk, Provost's Professor of Anthropology and Food Studies, Indiana University