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Food and water shortages are two of the greatest challenges facing humans in the coming century. While our theoretical understanding of how humans become vulnerable to and cope with hunger is relatively well developed, anthropological research on parallel problems in

Food and water shortages are two of the greatest challenges facing humans in the coming century. While our theoretical understanding of how humans become vulnerable to and cope with hunger is relatively well developed, anthropological research on parallel problems in the water domain is limited. By carefully considering well-established propositions derived from the food literature against what is known about water, our goal in this essay is to advance identifying, theorizing, and testing a broader anthropology of resource insecurity. Our analysis focuses on (1) the causes of resource insecurity at the community level, (2) “coping” responses to resource insecurity at the household level, and (3) the effect of insecurity on emotional well-being and mental health at the individual level. Based on our findings, we argue that human experiences of food and water insecurity are sufficiently similar to facilitate a broader theory of resource insecurity, including in how households and individuals cope. There are also important differences between food and water insecurity, including the role of structural factors (such as markets) in creating community-level vulnerabilities. These suggest food and water insecurity may also produce household struggles and individual suffering along independent pathways.

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Title
  • Food, Water, and Scarcity Toward a Broader Anthropology of Resource Insecurity
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Date Created
2014-08-01
Resource Type
  • Text
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    Identifier
    • Digital object identifier: 10.1086/677311
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      0011-3204
    • Identifier Type
      International standard serial number
      Identifier Value
      1537-5382
    Note
    • Copyright 2014 by the University of Chicago Press. View the article as published at http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/677311

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    This is a suggested citation. Consult the appropriate style guide for specific citation guidelines.

    Wutich, Amber, & Brewis, Alexandra (2014). Food, Water, and Scarcity Toward a Broader Anthropology of Resource Insecurity. CURRENT ANTHROPOLOGY, 55(4), 444-468. http://dx.doi.org/10.1086/677311

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