July 21, 2025

Challenging State Power: Food Sovereignty, Environmental Politics, and Identity with Hannah Kass

1 hour

Hannah Kass, a joint PhD candidate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, invites us into her world of research and activism, where she navigates the complex intersections of social movements, state power, and liberation. Through her experiences as a "farm punk," Hannah critiques the often reformist and state-based approach to food sovereignty in the U.S., promoting agroecology as a pathway to challenge and ultimately transform state control over food systems. Her insights reveal the exploitation within local food movements and the urgent need for authentic control to achieve true food sovereignty.

Our conversation broadens to explore the concept of the commons and the challenges of engaging with public lands in the U.S., especially under the shadow of a dominant carceral state. We touch on key resistance movements like Atlanta's Cop City, highlighting their role in the ongoing struggle for community and food sovereignty. Hannah discusses diverse tactics for building solidarity and the need for prefiguration, urging us to question the legitimacy of state actions and to support those affected by legal challenges, creating counter-narratives that defy state demonization of movements.

Venturing further into the realm of environmental politics and social movements, our discussion uncovers the limitations of liberal environmental policies and the surprising alliances between hunters and environmentalists. Hannah shares her experiences from teaching environmental social sciences, where bridging ideological divides becomes a crucial element of curriculum design. We also explore the poignant journey of the Adama Fellowship, where young Jewish individuals engage in farming, reshaping their identities and political perspectives.

To read Hannah's work, visit: https://www.hannahkass.com/research

To support the Forest Speech Fund, visit: https://bit.ly/helptheatl61

For sources, transcripts, and to read more about this subject, visit: www.agroecologies.org

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