Current Classes

Food Systems and community resilience

(SAFS 620)

This course provides a broad overview of the food system in the U.S., to better understand how this system shapes the food we eat, the health and wellbeing of our communities, the livelihoods of farmers and food and farm workers, and our climate and natural resources. Taking a systems perspective, we will explore the root causes of social injustices that pervade the food system, dietary patterns that promote chronic disease, and negative environmental impacts. As a counterpoint to studying these issues, we will explore initiatives to support farmland access and preservation, beginning farmers, regenerative agricultural practices, and food sovereignty movements. We will study local and regional food system development, values-based food supply chains, and programs designed to increase equity, sustainability, and food justice. Students will identify and study a policy, program, initiative, or organization developed to address a food system related issue, to learn more about approaches to solving these problems.  

Food Systems Solutions: increasing Sustainability and equity

(ANFS 850/SAFS 750)

We will study a range of solutions to address cross-cutting issues in the food system, including unsustainable farming systems, inequitable access to nutritious food, dietary patterns that promote chronic disease, and the lack of sustainable livelihoods for farmers and food chain workers. Students will learn to critically examine policies, programs and social movements aimed at increasing the equity and sustainability of the food system. We will identify the strengths and weaknesses of these approaches, recognizing the limits and blind spots, uneven impacts, and leverage points of the proposed solutions we study.  

ECOG 401: Food & Society – An Introduction to EcoGastronomy

This interdisciplinary course introduces the concept of EcoGastronomy using food as a lens to explore the social, cultural, environmental, and economic forces that shape human dietary patterns. "Gastronomy” is defined as "the art and appreciation of preparing and eating good food”. “Eco” indicates that food cannot be separated from our agriculture, our environment, and the many social, economic, political, and ethical issues associated with food production and eating. Putting them together, EcoGastronomy represents a highly innovative and interdisciplinary approach to studying our food system. We will explore how food shapes the ways our society is organized and the ways that food is part of our diverse cultural, ethnic, and social identities—touching on race, gender, class, religion, and nationality. Through the framework of EcoGastronomy, students will investigate the connections between agriculture, ecology, nutrition, cuisine, and sustainability.