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Michael Haedicke

Associate Professor of Sociology, University of Maine
Chapter Member: Maine SSN
Areas of Expertise:

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(734) 255-5463

About Michael

Haedicke's research focuses on food systems, labor issues, and environmental sustainability. Overarching themes in Haedicke's writings include the tensions between alternative and mainstream agriculture, the experiences of farmworkers and other vulnerable laborers in food systems, and the challenges of climate change adaptation. In addition to teaching and scholarly writing, Haedicke has published articles on The Conversation, an online news source, and serves as and expert resource for journalists and advocacy groups.

Contributions | No Jargon Podcast | In the News | Publications

Contributions

To Understand the Danger of COVID-19 Outbreaks in Meatpacking Plants, Look at the Industry’s History

Commentary,

In the News

Guest to discuss Covid-19 Outbreak in Meatpacking Plants on Fallon Forum, Michael Haedicke,
Guest to discuss The Importance of Seasonal Farmworkers in Producing the Food We Eat on The Attitude with Arnie Arnesen WNHN 94.7, Michael Haedicke, April 7, 2020.
"Organic’ Label Doesn’t Guarantee That Holiday Ham Was a Happy Pig," Michael Haedicke, Ethics + Religtion, The Conversation, December 13, 2019.

Publications

"Toxicants, Entanglement, and Mitigation in New England’s Emerging Circular Economy for Food Waste" (with Jean Macrae, Cindy Isenhour, Brieanne Berry, Travis Blackmer, and Skyler Horton). Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 12 (2022): 341–353.

Describes some of the complexities of solid waste management in rural areas - and the bind managers get into when materials they are trying to recover are contaminated.

"Organizing Organic" (Stanford University Press, 2016).

Traces the history of the U.S. organic foods sector. Examines ongoing tensions between the goals of market growth and food system transformation.

"Institutionalizing Coastal Restoration in Louisiana After Hurricanes Katrina and Rita: The Importance of Advocacy Coalitions and Claims-Making in Post-Disaster Policy Innovation" Case Studies in the Environment 1, no. 1 (2017): 1-7.

Traces the history of coastal restoration and climate adaptation policy in Louisiana, examining the organization and role of political advocacy coalitions.

"From Collective Bargaining to Social Justice Certification: Workers’ Rights in the American Meatpacking Industry" Sociological Focus 46, no. 2 (2013): 119-137.

Discusses the differences between labor union activism and consumer-based campaigns as strategies for securing benefits for workers in the U.S. meatpacking industry

"Keeping Our Mission Changing Our System: Translation and Organizational Change in Natural Foods Co-Ops" The Sociological Quarterly 53, no. 1 (2012): 44-67.

Examines the historical experiences of natural foods co-op stores, which are countercultural organizations that face increasing market pressure as a result of the mainstreaming of organic and natural foods.