SUPERVISOR: Marianne PENKER

PROJECT ASSIGNED TO: Christina GUGERELL

This dissertation analyses relational and spatial proximity among urban actors in food sustainability transitions. More specifically, the thesis' relational perspective on proximity and food democracy addresses blind spots of actors' relations and agency in food sustainability transitions literature. Based on literature as well as on qualitative and quantitative methods of empirical social research, spatial and relational (i.e., social, organizational, cognitive, and institutional) proximity dimensions are operationalized for the context of urban food systems and the proximity-related development and attractiveness of selected food niches are analyzed. Furthermore, niche and regime actors' contributions and barriers to a transition towards sustainable and democratic urban food systems are identified. The findings highlight the importance of relational proximity and thus of increased trust, collaboration, and knowledge and value sharing within and across organizations in the food system.