Fat Places? Exploring Environmental Causes of Obesity

In this seminar, jointly organised by Sociology and the brand new Food Researchers In EDinburgh (FRIED) network, Professor Julie Guthman, University of California, will talk about her work on obesity, which takes a critical political economy perspective and seeks to relate obesity with current dynamics of capitalism.

Julie will explore some of the conceptual and empirical limitations of the ‘obesogenic environment’ thesis - the idea that people have become fatter because they live in environments where fast, nutritionally debilitated food is ubiquitous and opportunities for physical activity are limited. Especially in light of emerging evidence that environmental toxins are playing a significant role in contemporary obesity, she will discuss some of the implications of these findings for food governance. The seminar will be followed by a light lunch to prolong the conversation.