Global Food Politics
Etablissement : ESPOL European School of Political and Social Sciences
Langue : Anglais
Formation(s) dans laquelle/lesquelles le cours apparait :
- Aucune formation en lien avec ce cours.
Période : S3
Good knowledge of (different fields of) the global food system.
In this course, we will explore the contemporary global food system which is at the intersection of competing issues such as production, consumption, supply chains, science and technology, public health, environment, ethics, social justice and many more – which are all highly political. Global food politics relates to the way in which the geography of economics and the distribution of food resources links with the politics of nation states, international organisations and various actors and actor groups. Food is also deeply inscribed in values, norms and cultural practices.
Since 2007, and notably also in 2013 and 2022, rising prices and volatility in international food markets have combined to dramatically refigure the global food system and produce what many have termed a ‘global food crisis’. Driven by a variety of factors including demand for agrofuels, the intersection of food with oil and financial markets, the steady erosion of agro-ecological systems and social safety nets, and pronounced inequalities in global agro-food systems, these food price shifts have had profound social and political effects.
Starting from the notion of food crisis, the aim of this course is to analyse the various impacts and interrelations in the food sector along a number of core problems, such as food supply chains, health and nutrition, food in the city. We will also discuss the question of what constitutes a ‘sustainable’ food system.
Part I: Introduction
Session 1: Global food politics
Session 2: Current Issues in Global Food Politics
Part II: Food economics and supply chains
Session 3: Food economics
Session 4: Globalisation and trade
Session 5: Food in the city
Part III: Food, health and environment
Session 6: Food trends and demographics
Session 7: Food and diet
Session 8: Food and the environment
Part IV: Sustainable food systems
Session 9: Visions of a sustainable food system
Session 10: Local food
Session 11: Conceptualising change towards sustainable food systems
Session 12: Leveraging change towards sustainable food systems
