Can Democratic Innovations Foster Care and Bridge Economics and Sustainable Futures in the Food System? Case Youth Citizen Jury in Finland

Nordic countries are often regarded as leaders in sustainability governance. However, transitions within food systems remain contested and challenging to achieve. These difficulties stem largely from persistent tensions between economic growth imperatives, broader wellbeing goals, and ecological limits. Democratic innovations—such as citizen juries—offer deliberative spaces where ordinary citizens can engage with these tensions. This paper examines whether, and in what ways, such innovations can help mediate these conflicts. As our analytical lens, we draw on feminist political ecology and care ethics. Care ethics has been proposed as a transformative framework that challenges the economic growth agenda while fostering broader wellbeing. Yet, care relations can both enable and constrain change, making care a compelling analytical perspective. Reconceptualising governance through the lens of care redirects attention from individual actors to relational dynamics, foregrounding attentiveness, reciprocity, and the practices of maintenance and repair as key elements. We also interrogate the extent to which a care-oriented perspective offers analytical leverage in addressing the tensions inherent in sustainability governance. We present findings from a youth citizen jury in Finland, designed to deliberate on sustainable food systems as input for national food strategy preparation. The jury gathered 39 participants aged 18-24 in in-person and online sessions in November 2025. Data includes deliberation recordings, pre- and post-surveys, jury recommendations, thematic interviews or jury participants, and reflexive facilitation notes. Our analysis assesses how diverse forms of care were enacted and discussed. Preliminary findings suggest that youth juries can articulate care-based values—such as fairness, interdependence, and responsibility—that challenge economic framings. Participants proposed solutions emphasising local food systems, equity, and ecological resilience rather than growth-oriented strategies. The deliberative setting empowered young voices, yet the practical arrangements constrained participation opportunities. The uptake of the jury’s recommendations remains to be seen during the writing of the abstract, but in the presentation we will also reflect related findings. We argue that citizen juries can strengthen legitimacy and inclusivity in sustainability transitions by suggesting solutions that matter for wellbeing, bridging gaps between economic rationalities and socio-ecological well-being. Thus, they can provide a mechanism for integrating care back into food system transformation. However, a relational focus can also reveal unexpected tensions, underscoring the complexity of embedding care in governance.