Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

Fall 11-13-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

December 2025

Department

Public Administration

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Alka Sapat

Abstract

This dissertation examines how food sovereignty advocacy coalitions in the United States shape beliefs, conduct advocacy work, influence discourse, and perceive their policy influence. The original definitions of food sovereignty emphasize producers and control of the food system, but in the U.S., it has been adapted to incorporate equality, Indigenous sovereignty, and local food movements. However, little research has considered the role advocacy coalitions play in the food sovereignty policy process.

Using the Advocacy Coalition Framework, this study examines how food sovereignty advocacy groups define the food sovereignty problem, coordinate actions, and attempt to influence the policy process. A qualitative document analysis of 64 documents from 2003 to 2024 and five interviews with food sovereignty advocates provides the data for coding belief systems, advocacy strategies, food sovereignty discourse, and perceived effectiveness.

The findings of this dissertation show that food sovereignty’s deep core beliefs are centered on the human right to food, while policy core beliefs and secondary beliefs are more suited for the specific U.S. context. Various advocacy strategies are used, but the most common are education, increasing organization capacity, and coalition-building, while the least common are direct actions like protests. While there are numerous variations of food sovereignty, the U.S. discourse moves away from the producer focus and instead emphasizes systemic inequities, community, and culturally appropriate foods. Overall, coalitions perceive their policy influence effectiveness to be done through small, incremental changes and are focused on growing awareness of the problem despite political threats and limited resources.

This dissertation contributes to the ACF by changing the way it has been applied in the past. This study focuses on one coalition to demonstrate the significance of secondary beliefs, discourse variations, policy-oriented learning, and temporal venue shopping. Additionally, the public administration literature is expanded by explaining how advocacy coalitions are critical components of grassroots participatory governance. The findings of this study are useful for policymakers and advocates attempting to influence food policies throughout the U.S.

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