2018/06/01 by Alison Hope Alkon · 1 citation
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Social Sciences · #Organic Food and Agriculture #Cultural Industries and Urban Development #Migration, Ethnicity, and Economy
paper · pdf · doi:10.1590/s0034-759020180308
openalex publication_date 2018/06/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/19
ABSTRACT This article investigates the cultural politics of entrepreneurship as a form of opposition to gentrification in Oakland, California. Building on Watkins and Caldwell’s (2004) foundational work, I examine the relationship between political projects - resisting gentrification, racial and economic disparities - and the cultural work of signifying a community’s continued presence amidst displacement and glorification of newcomers. Based on 30 interviews with employees of food justice non-profit organizations, social enterprises, and government agencies, I argue that activists promote food-based entrepreneurship to create employment and business opportunities for long-term residents that enables them to stay in their hometown. In doing so, the contributions of long-standing communities to Oakland’s diverse food cultures are highlighted. However, property values are rising rapidly that even these opportunities cannot ensure that long-term communities remain. For this reason, I conclude by offering examples of direct action and policy advocacy that can supplement these entrepreneurial approaches.