PSCI 3410 - Food Politics and Policy

Goals: Give students an understanding of 1) food as an element of US political culture, 2) food activism and advocacy, 3) policymaking processes that shape the US farm bill, 4) the cultural, economic, and political factors that influence food policy decisions, and 5) the consequences of those policies. Use food as a way to critically assess US politics and the power of policymaking and justice movements to meet needs and drive real change.

Content: Study the US food system with a special focus on the political and policymaking answers to the guiding question: What is “good food”? Explore how different political actors (e.g., farmers, agricultural workers, consumers, activists and policymakers) engage with government and each other around often-conflicting goals: nutrition and public health, agricultural and environmental sustainability, food safety, access and affordability, food worker safety, and food justice.

Credits: 4