Food Systems and Food Insecurity: Mercy Matters

Salve Regina University has a long history of framing the analyses of significant social issues through the lens of both academic disciplines and the Sisters of Mercy mission. As we enter the holiday season, a time when attention is traditionally focused on charitable giving, it is useful to focus on the “big picture” of how industrial food systems are sociologically connected to hunger and food insecurity at home and in the larger global context. Indeed, the founder of the Sisters of Mercy, Catherine McAuley, built a religious order that prioritized hospitality for all, but especially those in greatest need.

In this short seminar, we will explore current patterns of food insecurity in our local communities and beyond, drawing largely on demographic and public health data. We will situate these patterns in a sociological analysis that includes Mercy critical concerns to explore the question of why food insecurity ebbs and flows as an area of public concern.

Laura L. O’Toole is a sociologist who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Delaware and has served both as an academic dean and a teaching professor at Salve Regina University prior to retiring from full-time teaching in 2022. Dr. O’Toole specializes in sociological theory, gender studies, food studies, and public sociology and has taught, published, and presented in these areas for over 30 years. She is also a certified Master Gardener with the University of Rhode Island Cooperative Extension service and has served on numerous community boards, most recently of Aquidneck Community Table and the New England Faculty Development Consortium.