Prof. Dr. Ana Bonet

I work in the field of law and sustainability, with a particular focus on socio-ecological transformation. I am interested in which legal and institutional formats can contribute to a more sustainable transformation of ways of life and production - from both a social and an ecological perspective. I am investigating how legal frameworks emerge, what their limits and potentials are and whether they can be adapted to the current challenges of planetary coexistence.

A central topic of my research is the question of how the law can create conditions that enable a fairer and more sustainable diet. This concerns the regulation of access, availability and quality of food as well as the promotion of so-called nutritional proximity (alimentary proximity). I understand this proximity not only geographically, but also relationally: food connects people with each other, but also with non-human beings - with biodiversity, the earth and the cultural stories behind every dish.
The law often only looks at food from an existential perspective - i.e. in terms of combating hunger - or from a biomedical, technocratic perspective. In contrast, I am interested in the relational dimension of food, its potential to strengthen social and ecological relationships.

In Argentina, I led the transmedia documentary project Faros Alimentarios, which documents local and community food initiatives - such as urban gardens, cooperatives, markets and public programs - as examples of alternative ways of producing, distributing and consuming food. This project combines scientific research with public communication and legal analysis: we are investigating which norms promote or hinder such practices.
I am also currently participating in the Coordinator of an international cooperation project between the Kassel Institute for Sustainability and CONICET (Argentina's national research council). The project deals with the implementation of the EU regulation on deforestation-free supply chains in Argentina. This regulation raises questions not only about the environmental footprint of export products, but also about the social and environmental issues surrounding the production processes - especially for meat, soy and wood. The project is important because it opens up a dialog between European and Latin American perspectives and shows how global or regional sustainability standards are implemented locally.

What particularly impresses me about the Kassel Institute for Sustainability is its interdisciplinary and reflective approach. Sustainability research here sees itself not only as a technical or economic field, but also as a space for social and ethical reflection. It integrates social, ecological, cultural and normative dimensions and thus opens up new perspectives on living together in a planetary context. This openness and complexity make the work at the Institute particularly valuable for me.