Queen Mary University of London to play key role in Horizon Europe Project on Democratic Governance and Sustainable Food Systems

DEMETRA is a 42-month collaborative research and innovation initiative, with funding totalling approximately €2.4 million from the EU, and reaching around €4 million when including contributions from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) under the UK government’s Horizon Europe funding guarantee [grant number 10116425] and the Swiss State Secretariat for Education, Research, and Innovation (SERI) [contract number 23.00524].

DEMETRA, which commenced on 1 May 2024, brings together a consortium of 11 partner organisations from across Europe. Queen Mary University of London’s Professor Maria Grasso will lead as the Scientific Coordinator, while Professor Lorenzo Bosi of Scuola Normale Superiore will serve as the Coordinator.

The partners involved in DEMETRA are:

• Tartu Ulikool
• Institut Catholique De Lille
• Private Universitaet Witten/Herdecke Ggmbh
• Uppsala Universitet
• Campi Aperti Per La Sovranita' Alimentare
• Ernaehrungsrat Fuer Koeln Und Umgebung E.V.
• Cinemovel Foundation
• Universite De Geneve
• University of Newcastle Upon Tyne

DEMETRA aims to alleviate tensions between democratic governance and climate sustainability transitions by analysing new deliberative participatory processes (DPPs), such as citizens’ assemblies and e-governance. These bottom-up processes are designed to be highly inclusive, providing a political voice to all societal segments, with a specific focus on gender and intersectional aspects like socioeconomic background and ethnicity.

The project will investigate DPPs at the micro-, meso-, and macro-levels across Europe to support the transition towards a sustainable future, particularly focusing on the transformation of food systems. It will systematically compare the setup, processes, and outcomes of DPPs to identify best practices that enhance democratic engagement and co-construct sustainable societies. DEMETRA will also seek to identify DPPs that maximise inclusiveness and empowerment, especially for marginalised groups, and develop broadly applicable solutions for sustainable food system transformation.

DEMETRA’s approach includes:

• A multidimensional analysis combining macro- (institutional), meso- (organisational), and micro-level (individual) factors.
• A cross-national comparative design involving countries with varying DPP experiences and food systems (Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland, and the UK).
• An integrated methodological approach utilising multiple sources and methods, including population surveys, semi-organisational surveys, semi-structured interviews, participant observation, and public policy analysis.

Commenting on the award, DEMETRA Scientific Coordinator, Professor Maria Grasso, Professor of Political Science and Political Sociology at Queen Mary University of London said:

“We are delighted to be involved in this Horizon Europe collaborative research and innovation project DEMETRA funded by the European Union, UK Horizon Europe Guarantee funding, and SERI funding here at Queen Mary University of London. We are very much looking forward to working as DEMETRA Scientific Coordinator alongside the Coordinator and partners on this important and timely project. DEMETRA tackles fundamental questions for making sense of how to navigate environmental challenges and sustainability transitions in democratic societies."

For more detailed information, please visit the DEMETRA website: www.qmul.ac.uk/demetra.

This project was successfully awarded under the Call HORIZON-CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01 competition, specifically Topic HORIZON-CL2-2023-DEMOCRACY-01-05.