Fifteenth International Conference on Food Studies: Fed Up – Learning From the Past, Imagining New Futures

From 8–10 October 2025, the University of Pretoria in South Africa will host the Fifteenth International Conference on Food Studies, a globally hybrid gathering of scholars, practitioners, and changemakers exploring sustainable, equitable, and culturally grounded food systems. This year’s theme, “Fed Up: Learning From the Past, Imagining New Futures,” reflects a growing urgency to rethink our relationship with food and agriculture in the face of climate change, inequality, and health crises.

Founded in 2011, the Food Studies Research Network has united interdisciplinary voices to examine the critical intersections of food production, nutrition, and politics across global contexts. With a strong emphasis on collaboration across cultures and disciplines, the network continues to build an epistemic community committed to action-oriented research and policy engagement.

The 2025 conference invites contributions across three core themes:

Food Production and Sustainability
Food, Nutrition, and Health
Food Politics, Policies, and Cultures

The event features an impressive lineup of plenary speakers, including:

Erik Wolf (USA), Executive Director of the World Food Travel Association, presenting “South Africa’s Culinary Tourism at a Crossroads.”
Miles Kubheka (South Africa), entrepreneur and chef, sharing insights on “A Change Maker’s Mindset.”
Chris Broodryk, Assistant Professor at the University of Pretoria.
Jesús Alonso Amezcua López, researcher from UTEG University, Mexico.

Chaired by Hennie Fisher (University of Pretoria) and Blanca Rosa Aguilar Uscanga (University of Guadalajara), the conference promises rich dialogue grounded in local knowledge and global perspective.

Both in-person and virtual participation options ensure accessibility for a broad international audience. Scholars, activists, students, and food system professionals are encouraged to engage, collaborate, and help shape a future of resilient and just food systems.

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