I am a PhD candidate in the UNMAKING programme. In this research programme, we aim to understand whether, when and how civic society initiatives in agriculture unmake unsustainable institutions and practices deeply ingrained in capitalism.

In my PhD project, I study community-supported agriculture (CSA) initiatives in Portugal and Italy through the lens of transformations to sustainability. I am particularly interested in CSAs that bring together small-scale farmers and consumers and strive for a collective organisation of agri-food operations.

How CSA members negotiate their internal organisation can offer critical insights into the potential of community action to reconfigure unbalanced power relations at the foundation of unsustainable agri-food systems. I focus on the manifestation of power relations in CSAs in three circumstances: the creation of postcapitalist work relations, the empowerment of rural queer members and the effects of gender performativity in the collective organisation. 

I hold a MSc in Communication, Health and Life sciences, specialising in Innovations in Sustainable Food Systems, from Wageningen University (The Netherlands). And a BA in Publicity and Advertisement from the Communication faculty of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (Brazil).

Publications:

Raj, G. (2024). Selective, reciprocal and quiet: lessons from rural queer empowerment in community-supported agriculture. Agriculture and Human Values.

Raj, G., Feola, G., & Runhaar, H. (2023). Work in progress: power in transformation to postcapitalist work relations in community–supported agriculture. Agriculture and Human Values, 1-23.

Guerrero Lara, L., van Oers, L., Smessaert, J., Spanier, J., Raj, G., & Feola, G. (2023). Degrowth and agri-food systems: a research agenda for the critical social sciences. Sustainability Science, 1-16.

Raj, G., Feola, G., Hajer, M., & Runhaar, H. (2022). Power and empowerment of grassroots innovations for sustainability transitions: A review. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 43, 375-392.

Raj, G., & Almeida, A. R. D. D. (2017). Feliz sobriedade: Uma conduta ética e cidadã viável em Paris? Revista ADM. MADE, 21(1), 51-72.

Areas of interest:

·       Transformations to sustainability

·       Sustainable agri-food systems

·       Politics and power in transformations to sustainability

·       Grassroots initiatives

·       Gender, sexuality and agriculture