Reconnecting with food: The how and where of human-food resonance for sustainability

In a world marked by disconnect and alienation, the need for relational approaches in science and society is clear. Despite attempts toward sustainable transformations, pressure on the world, humans, and more-than-human entities continues to rise. The current food system has a well-documented, negative impact on sustainable development. However, it also offers potential for sustainability-oriented change, and the way we relate to food is proving to be a key pillar. In this perspective we elaborate on human-food resonance as a theoretical concept of understanding relationships between humans and food. We argue that, rather than a lifeless resource, food is an affective agent in its diverse materializations. Human-food resonance illustrates how food may affect sustainable transformations. The concept indicates where relationships with food are shaped. It thus offers a theoretical framework and a vision of a good life in relation to food, while highlighting the need for future empirical research.