Children's food activism: reflections on knowledge and responsibility

Children as activists have become more prominent in recent years. Their activism is manifest in relation to conspicuously political topics such as Black Lives Matter, voting rights, being able to air their views or protesting against injustices related to race, culture and other identities. Less often, if at all, do children engage politically with issues related to food. In discussing questions of food activism, this article draws on reflections from the ‘Food activism in the schoolyard’ knowledge exchange project that prompted discussion amongst practitioners working with children across formal and informal education contexts in Scotland. Specifically, the article puts a spotlight on the topic of learning for sustainability to address the question of children's food activism. It does so by highlighting two key considerations that impinge on it being a prominent feature in children's lives educationally and more broadly: children's knowledge (or lack thereof) in relation to food, and the question of whose responsibility it is to be concerned about issues related to food. While food is a key component in school curricula, opportunities for interdisciplinary, cross-sectoral collaborations would prove useful. The article seeks to advance the conversation about children's activism, drawing the topic of food activism into focus.