Future of Food: Journal on Food

Cultivating changes

Giulia Giacchè
LMixed Research Unit Spaces and Societies (ESO), University of Rennes2, Rennes, France.
Chiara Paffarini
LDepartment of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy.
Biancamaria Torquati
LDepartment of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Perugia, Italy

Urban gardening initiatives have evolved from their original purpose of food production to assume aesthetic, recreational, educational, social, or therapeutic functions. The general objective of this paper was to determine the new socio-spatial configuration into which these experiences have been implemented, in order to determine the diversity of actors involved in urban agriculture (UA) within the municipality of Perugia. Secondary objectives were to explore the social and environmental capital produced and to indicate orientations and suggestions to enhance the impact of UA within the city. The survey, conducted during 2015 and 2016, focused on seven UA initiatives or projects and demonstrated that there is an increasing social demand for the reintegration of agriculture within urban areas. At the same time, there is a lack of coordination between the different initiatives, plans, and programmes to enhance these projects. It is necessary to take advantage of the intense activity, creativity, ideas, and actors involved in UA to improve the connections and synergy to implement these initiatives. Furthermore, we show that the municipality could develop and implement specific tools and devices to allow institutions, private citizens, associations, and farmers to operate in more synergistic and efficient ways.

Keywords : Veganism ,Virtue Ethics ,Compassion ,Fairness ,

Myanmar High School Students’ Perceptions of College and International Readiness in Western Society

Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
International students are more likely to experience mental health issues and increased stress. Mental health is often surrounded by negative societal stigmas that act as barriers to seeking support and tend to lead to greater mental health concerns. International students tend to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers rather than seeking out counseling services. However, this study shows that LGBTQIA+ international students were less likely to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers due to fear of their sexual orientation being discovered and their families finding out about their identity. This study examines how LGBTQIA+ international students talk about their experiences on and off campus in relations to their socioemotional well-being. Specifically, this study sought to better understand the complexities of LGBTQIA+ students’ identities, and the challenges they faced in terms of their socioemotional well-being. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Keywords : international students, socioemotional well-being, mental health, identity development, intersectionality, LGBTQIA