Diventare gasista. Politica, tempo e genere nelle pratiche alimentari di due Gruppi di Acquisto Solidale (GAS) lombardi

Abstract

Based on the ethnographic field study of two Lombardy Solidarity Purchase Groups (Gruppo di Acquisto Solidale - GAS), this article analyses the reasons that lead people to becoming a gasista (a GAS member), and the changes that this choice implies in the rhythms of their daily life. Particular attention will be paid to the point of view of women, especially engaged in the management of the two groups. Firstly, the political significance attributed by GAS members to this form of critical consumerism will be investigated, showing the role that the quest for socio-environmental justice and the search for individual well-being play. Secondly, the consequences of joining a GAS will be explored in the overall redefinition of the time spent managing food, from purchase to consumption. In this way, I intend to show how becoming a gasista does not only mean participating in a community-based purchasing group, but also adhering to a lifestyle that invites people to review usual food practices. Adopting this perspective, I will focus on possibilities and critical aspects that this model of food activism implies, especially in relation to the issue of social change.