Announcing the Final Examination of Ms. Chelsea N. Daws for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Integrative Anthropological Sciences
This dissertation critically analyzes home and community gardens within Metro-Orlando by considering the ways that the COVID-19 pandemic impacts residents’ garden participation and access to green public spaces. The study utilizes an ethnographic approach to produce informed understandings of participants’ experiences within local gardens, alternative food networks, and community supported agriculture analyzed using Marxian theoretical frameworks. Findings are primarily grounded in qualitative information derived from interviews, participant observation, and photovoice. Data were collected both prior to the global COVID-19 outbreak and over subsequent months of lockdown and public health mitigation measures. Primarily focusing on local community garden organizers, community garden members, and home gardeners, this dissertation documents many of the emotional, dietary, and physiological benefits of Metro-Orlando’s local gardens through analysis of five access dimensions that serve to constrain or enhance local garden participation: (1) transportation costs; (2) location of individual gardens; (3) seasonality; (4) convenience, and (5) gardens’ management and social organization. These considerations are significant as most respondents report their gardens function as supplemental food security resources, serve as a locus of self-care, and provide respite from daily stressors. Accessibility remains the most widely reported access challenge among my study participants while affordability is the least reported challenge. Findings also demonstrate the ways local gardens foster resilience through support networks and mutual aid, promote resistance through community food security, and provide respite from pandemic-related stressors.
Committee in Charge:
Dr. Ty Matejowsky
Dr. Lana Williams
Dr. Michael Armato
Dr. Nessette Falu
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