Mass Conspiracy to Feed People: Food Not Bombs and the World-Class Waste of Global Cities

David Boarder Giles' book "A Mass Conspiracy to Feed People" explores how capitalism manufactures waste and scarcity, while communities of marginalized people and discarded things gather and cultivate political possibilities. He documents the work of Food Not Bombs (FNB), a global movement of grassroots soup kitchens that recover wasted grocery surpluses and redistribute them to those in need.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 24 September 2021
Publisher: Duke University Press

In his book "A Mass Conspiracy to Feed People," David Boarder Giles delves into the intricate ways in which capitalism creates both waste and scarcity. Through vivid illustrations, he showcases how communities of marginalized individuals and discarded objects come together to cultivate political possibilities. Giles documents the remarkable work of Food Not Bombs (FNB), a global movement of grassroots soup kitchens that recover wasted grocery surpluses and redistribute them to those in need. He explores the urban contexts in which FNB operates, focusing on the global cities where late-capitalist economies and unsustainable consumption lead to excess, inequality, food waste, and hunger.

Starting from urban dumpsters, Giles traces the logic behind the discarding of perfectly edible commodities, which perpetuates food scarcity. He examines the social order of "world-class" cities, the pathways of discarded food as it circulates through the FNB kitchen, and the anticapitalist political movements that the kitchen represents. By describing the mutual entanglement of global capitalism and anticapitalist transgression, Giles captures the emergent forms of generosity, solidarity, and resistance that arise from the marginalized residents of these global cities.

Through his compelling storytelling, Giles invites readers to reimagine the relationship between waste, scarcity, and social change. He highlights the resilience and creativity of those who are marginalized and shows how they can transform discarded resources into sources of nourishment and empowerment. "A Mass Conspiracy to Feed People" is a thought-provoking and inspiring book that challenges us to think critically about the systems that perpetuate hunger and inequality and to work towards a more just and sustainable world.

Weight: 488g
Dimension: 152 x 230 x 27 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781478014416