Jessica Duncan

Dr. Jessica Duncan is an Associate Professor in the Politics of Food Systems Transformations at the Rural Sociology Group of Wageningen University, Netherlands. Her work focuses on participation in food governance, sustainable food systems, and social justice. She holds a PhD in Food Policy from City University London and an MA in Sociology from the University of Victoria, Canada. Key roles include editorial board membership for Sociologia Ruralis and founding Board Member of the Centre for Unusual Collaborations.

Her research explores governance practices, food policies, and transformative pathways toward equitable systems. Notable projects include CULTIVATE (food sharing innovation), SWIFT (women-led rural innovations), and Playing with the Trouble (collaborative games for systemic change). She has authored Global Food Security Governance (2015) and co-edited The Handbook for Sustainable and Regenerative Food Systems (2021).

Dr. Duncan was awarded Teacher of the Year (2017) and developed storytelling training for students using award funds. She contributed to EU foresight initiatives and critiques of global food governance structures. Her teaching spans food policy, political sociology, and sustainable food systems, reflecting her commitment to interdisciplinary and justice-oriented scholarship.

Grants and collaborations include the HortEco programme and the EU Standing Committee for Agricultural Research’s Foresight Team. She emphasizes co-creative governance models and the role of non-state actors in shaping equitable food systems.