Carla Ulrich
social scientist, food activist, curator, photographer, fermenter
Hi! My name is Carla – I am a French-German social scientist, activist, curator and photographer. Through my work, I support the transition of our food system towards both ecological regeneration and social justice. Next to speaking and writing about it, I am proud to shape a new food culture with Die Gemeinschaft, a movement uniting Germany’s pioneering food producers and gastronomes.
As a social scientist trained at Humboldt-University of Berlin, I aim to find out how good food can be made accessible to all. This leads me to examine broader topics such as . Having completed Slow Food Germany’s Academy programme in 2019, I follow a systems-based approach, equally considerate of reality on the field. I’ve shared my insights in two academic publications, as well as conference talks and workshops.
Within the team of Die Gemeinschaft, I have been taking care of communications and co-organising educational formats for food professionals, such as Das Symposium. Next to that, I am a volunteer within the Slow Food Youth movement, supporting political campaigns, outreach and partnerships. In 2018, I co-founded the non-profit organization Forward Thinking Berlin, dedicated to empowering young environmental and social initiatives.
To help shed light on today’s most pressing issues, I previously worked as a program curator at re:publica, Europe’s largest conference on the digital societies. With my expertise around food sovereignty and the sustainable development goals, I’ve organized conversations across six international festivals in Berlin, Accra, LA, Detroit, and Portland, involving civil society, policy makers and academia.
Born in Germany and raised in France, I speak fluent German, French and English. I complement my work with freelance photography, which I’ve been practicing since 2010. I love to portray farms, crafts, and people who work with nature. If you need images for your brand, project or publication, I’m happy to hear from you.
When I’m not doing any of that, I like to ferment fizzy drinks! You can watch my water kefir tutorial on Fermentiersalon, and read recipes I’ve co-developed and photographed in Slow Food Magazin (issues 03/2021 and 05/2021). Sometimes you’ll find me hosting fermentation workshops, or supplying restaurants with starters.
Peer-reviewed publications
- “What are the determinants of social inequalities in the living conditions of Eastern German farmers today?”, in: Research Jungle! Proceedings of the International Student Research Conference at Zeppelin University 2021 (2022)
- “Forensic Architecture. Digital Citizen Intelligence in the Age of Urban Warfare”, in: PolisReflects (2020)
Podcasts & Press
- Guest Speaker: Food in my Kiez Podcast, Episode 3, Kollwitzkiez & Reconnecting With Our Food (2022)
- Panel Discussion: “Essen und andere verlockende Dinge” [“Food and Other Tempting Things”], with Prof. Dr. Harald Lemke and Dr. Frank Trentmann, Guardini Foundation (2021)
- Interview: „Slow Food Youth Akademie: Drei Teilnehmende berichten über ihre Erfahrungen“, Slow Food Magazin (2019)
Photography: Clients & Publications
Tip Berlin, Slow Food Magazin, The Common Table, Slow Food & Slow Food Youth Germany, Mit Vergnügen, Markthalle Neun, Die Gemeinschaft e.V., Die Freien Bäcker e.V., Tiny Farms, Kantine Zukunft, Klimaweide Arensnest, KornLabor, Woodcuisine, Michelberger Hotel & Farm, Otto, Nobelhart & Schmutzig, Gut & Bösel, Erdhof Seewalde.
Get in touch: ulrich.carla [at] yahoo.fr
Photos: Caroline Prange, re:publica/Gregor Fischer (CC BY-SA 2.0), Carla Ulrich