This paper examines how states at the 2015 World Expo addressed the theme of “Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life.” The 2015 World Expo was a unique and important venue for studying how states portray solutions to hunger in an international context, since it allowed states to present their take on The Expo’s theme to more than 20 million visitors. Through observations at the 2015 World Expo and content analysis of states’ Expo websites, this paper addresses the following questions: How did states propose to address world hunger? What did the role of the State look like in these solutions? Findings show that states proposed free market-centered solutions which heavily featured the role of the consumer through ideals of citizen-consumerism and ecomodernism as they provided solutions to world hunger. The role of the State in these solutions was largely limited to supporting the market and promoting gastronational ideals. These portrayals suggest a Polanyian double movement where free market-centered solutions coexist in tension with initiatives for societal protection. These findings show how states conceptualize the realm of possibilities for food policy, with tendencies to relegate the State’s function to the sidelines while centering the market.
Examining countries' presentations at the 2015 World Expo, this working paper explores how nation-states propose solutions to world hunger. Using ethnography and discourse analysis, it identifies prevalent neoliberal and gastronational tendencies, informing future food security policy making.
Kymberley Chu graduated in 2021 from the University of California, Davis double majoring in Anthropology and International Relations. Kymberley aspires to pursue academic research and PhD programs that examine social issues such as the psychology of racism. She enjoys reading, coding, weightlifting and making mind maps in her free time.
Emma majored in Sociology and Spanish at the University of California, Davis. She is interested in public health and how it relates to environmental, health, and food justice. After she graduates, Emma hopes to pursue graduate school and a career in non-profit or policy work.
