Ethical Dimensions in Food and Agricultural Governance

Catalog description

Famines around the world have long made news headlines, and in recent years the news includes a discussion of the so-called "diseases of affluence" that come about, in part, due to an overabundance of food (i.e., Type II diabetes, heart disease). While, the natural environment affects regions of food security and insecurity, the policy environment plays an equally strong role in constructing our global food systems. For example, how have changing agricultural policies shaped our food safety problems, such as E. coli contaminated meat or spinach? How have government policies related to labeling of organics shaped the growth of consumer demand for organic agriculture and food products? This class analyzes the socio-economic, political, and cultural construction of our food systems and the ways in which institutions and individuals involved with these systems have experienced dramatic changes in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. We also explore and evaluate the ethical dimensions of agriculture and food policy at the global, regional, and national levels and the ways these policies impact the flow of food around the world (e.g., the World Trade Organization, transnational corporations, NAFTA, the European Union, and national governments). By the end of this course, students will be able to describe the institutions and organizations that are involved in the provision of food at national and international levels, identify problems with the dominant agriculture and food system, and evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of many of the proposed solutions for creating a more sustainable and equitable food system.