Ph.D Project - Romane Joly

Food circulation shaping the hinterland: dairy supply chains in the Upper Rhine region

The dissertation focuses on dairy food supply chains located in the hinterland of two cities in France and Germany. Based on a comparative gesture, Romane Joly investigates the sociotechnical infrastructure co-produced by dairy stakeholders that enables food circulation. Her analysis focuses on social practices and power-relationships between actors and on the technical infrastructure that sustains circulation. Building on critical theory on space and urbanization, the dissertation seeks to demonstrate the social and physical reshaping of the hinterland in response to urban demands.  The research is based on qualitative methods: dairy supply chains are traced to map sites of production, actors involved and circulations. The data set originates from interviews, document analysis and maps. The dissertation aims to expand the conceptualization of the hinterland in relation to the sociotechnical infrastructure for food circulation.

First supervisor: Prof. Dr. Philipp Späth
Second supervisor:

Period: 10/2020 - 12/2024
Funding: University of Strasbourg, Deutsch-Französische Hochschule