This spring, Dr. Clare Hinrichs will be teaching a new course as part of the forthcoming (in development!) Food Systems Minor! More info: 

CED 497 Changing Food Systems: Comparative Perspectives

Tuesdays and Thursdays, 1:35-2:50 pm, Willard 373

 

This course will take a broad social science perspective to examine the drivers and impacts of recent efforts to change the food and agricultural system to address growing challenges of sustainability, health and equity. We will focus on and compare different initiatives undertaken by communities, social movements, governments and businesses. We will examine differences in motivations, resources, organization, power and outcomes in such food system change efforts, while situating, linking and evaluating these efforts within a more comprehensive systems framework.

Case studies will include initiatives aiming to 1) reduce harmful environmental impacts and increase ecological benefits of agricultural production practices, 2) improve labor and livelihood conditions for farmers, farmworkers and other food system workers, and 3) increase consumer access to affordable, healthy foods.

The course will include a hands-on project in which students will engage with either a community, non- profit, public sector or business organization that is working on some facet of food systems change.

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Students from all majors are invited to take the course, and majors such as Nutrition, Geography, Hospitality Management, Plant Science, and Community, Environment, and Development (CED) may be particular interested in the course content. Students in the CED-CED (Community Economic Development) option can count this course towards their degree requirements.

Questions: chinrichs@psu.edu

Featured image credit: Alyssa Gurklis