Abstract
In response to the growing sense of distrust in mainstream food systems, Alternative Food Networks have gained traction by prioritizing ecological, ethical, and participatory principles. One such alternative initiative is the ‘fair food’ ecosystem developed by the urban hub Postane Istanbul, which this study explores as a case. Postane brings together food-related practices, infrastructures, and actors around the idea of fair food. The study focuses on how fair food can act as a boundary object that mediates between diverse actors, values, and practices. Data were collected through site visits, document analysis, and long-term participant observation, offering insights into Postane’s fair food system. The analysis was guided by the boundary infrastructure concept and structured around five interrelated categories—boundary objects, actors, spanners, concepts, and elements—brought together as a composite analytical framework. The study uses Multilevel Social Network Analysis to map how these components sustain the system. Findings show that Postane’s fair food system is maintained through layered interactions, informative and collaborative ties, and shared spaces. Fair food acts as a flexible yet coherent ideal that enables collaboration across diverse interpretations. The network analysis reveals structural patterns; the central role of Postane workers, the guiding function of the Fair Food Policy, the engagement of producers and underrepresented ties that signal potential for growth. The study demonstrates how food, as a boundary object, can serve as a tool for building inclusive, place- based systems. The Postane case highlights the transformative potential of urban infrastructures in supporting more just and participatory food systems.
Keywords
Boundary infrastructures; Alternative food networks; Fair food; Sustainability transition
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.308
Citation
Varli, C.G.,and Sahin, B.(2025) Examining the boundary infrastructures around 'fair food': The sustainable transition approach of Postane, in Chang, C.-Y., and Hsu, Y. (eds.), IASDR 2025: Design Next, 02-05 December, Taiwan. https://doi.org/10.21606/iasdr.2025.308
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Conference Track
Track 8 - Circular/Sustainable Design
Examining the boundary infrastructures around 'fair food': The sustainable transition approach of Postane
In response to the growing sense of distrust in mainstream food systems, Alternative Food Networks have gained traction by prioritizing ecological, ethical, and participatory principles. One such alternative initiative is the ‘fair food’ ecosystem developed by the urban hub Postane Istanbul, which this study explores as a case. Postane brings together food-related practices, infrastructures, and actors around the idea of fair food. The study focuses on how fair food can act as a boundary object that mediates between diverse actors, values, and practices. Data were collected through site visits, document analysis, and long-term participant observation, offering insights into Postane’s fair food system. The analysis was guided by the boundary infrastructure concept and structured around five interrelated categories—boundary objects, actors, spanners, concepts, and elements—brought together as a composite analytical framework. The study uses Multilevel Social Network Analysis to map how these components sustain the system. Findings show that Postane’s fair food system is maintained through layered interactions, informative and collaborative ties, and shared spaces. Fair food acts as a flexible yet coherent ideal that enables collaboration across diverse interpretations. The network analysis reveals structural patterns; the central role of Postane workers, the guiding function of the Fair Food Policy, the engagement of producers and underrepresented ties that signal potential for growth. The study demonstrates how food, as a boundary object, can serve as a tool for building inclusive, place- based systems. The Postane case highlights the transformative potential of urban infrastructures in supporting more just and participatory food systems.