The Environment and Community M.A. in Social Science Program at Humboldt State University is soliciting articles for a special issue of the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations (HJSR) on alternative food systems,broadly defined. Contributions may deal with specific case studies or may explore the challenges of alternative food systems theoretically.Specific topics of interest may include, but are not limited to:

·         Alternative food systems as critique of capitalist globalization
·         Gender, class, and racial dynamics of agro-food systems
·         Questions of social and environmental justice in the context of alternative food systems.
·         Community supported agriculture and farmers’ markets as neolocalism
·         The slow food movement
·         Community food security, food sovereignty, and food democracy
·         Urban agricultural production and access to food

While submissions are welcome from anyone interested in contributing to the special issue, we particularly welcome those from graduate students.

The deadline for submission of manuscripts is April 5, 2010. Queries may be sent to the guest editor at any time.

Submissions should be sent electronically, in MS Word format, to Noah Zerbe, guest editor (noah.zerbe@humboldt.edu). Contributions should be approximately 4,500 to 6,000 words and should comply with the American Sociological Society style sheet. A ll articles will be sent out for blind peer-review.

Articles accepted for publication will appear in the fall 2010 issue of the Humboldt Journal of Social Relations. The Humboldt Journal of Social Relations is a peer-reviewed,interdisciplinary social science journal that publishes originalresearch in the fields of sociology,anthropology, political science, economics, geography, history,philosophy and psychology. It has been published biannually since 1974.

Proposals for oral presentations (15 or 30 minutes) or posters/informational displays are invited for the first symposium of the Canadian Institute for Sustainable Biodiversity. “Living Plants, Liveable Communities: Exploring Sustainable Horticulture for the 21st Century” will be held February 17-19, 2010 at RBG Centre, 680 Plains Road West, Burlington, Ontario, Canada. We are hoping to foster a dialogue among professionals, scholars and the public as to just what sustainable horticulture is and can do for Canadian society. We welcome contributions that address current problems and possible solutions dealing in areas such as:

• Urban design and cultural heritage of greenways
• Encouraging children and families to use green spaces
• Ethics in sourcing and design of gardens and urban landscapes
• Win-win solutions for unsustainable practices
• Economic sustainability of horticulture as a business
• Green space and governance issues
• Innovation, communication and education
• The Sustainable Sites Initiative and other certification programs
• Plant choices and managing gardens in an era of climate change
• Protecting biodiversity in urban spaces and gardens
• Human psychology and landscape elements/design
• Productive gardens and agriculture in urban spaces
• Water consumption and management
• Invasive species issues – management and prevention
• Horticultural therapy
• Pesticide reduction and elimination
• Green roof applications

SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS

Interested individuals are invited to submit an abstract (max. 300 words) with title, contact information and a brief biography in MS-Word format by October 30, 2009. Please note: Electronic submission only!  Submit abstracts to: qyee@rbg.ca    Successful applicants will be notified by December1,  2009.

For more information and regular updates visit the event web page at: http://www.rbg.ca/cisb/cisbsymposium2010.html