{"id":9543,"date":"2020-06-23T15:35:06","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T19:35:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/gastronomyblog\/?p=9543"},"modified":"2020-07-31T15:52:03","modified_gmt":"2020-07-31T19:52:03","slug":"course-spotlight-us-food-policy-and-culture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/gastronomyblog\/2020\/06\/23\/course-spotlight-us-food-policy-and-culture\/","title":{"rendered":"Course Spotlight: U.S. Food Policy and Cultural Politics"},"content":{"rendered":"
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image credit: Eater Seattle\/Chona Kasinger<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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Dr. Ellen Messer<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In response to the food-system challenges of pandemic and structural violence, Dr. Elle<\/em>n Messer has been \u00a0revising MET ML 721, “US Food Policy and Cultural Politics” to integrate the<\/em>mes from our cutting edge conversations. \u00a0New formats and materials include integration of new readings and \u00a0Zoom recordings on food-security issues associated with pandemic and racial disparitie<\/em>s, new films and videos associated with struggles for land and food rights in different <\/em>US locations, podcasts featuring the voices of new community leaders of color, and strengthened sections on gardening and labor issues.<\/em><\/p>\n

We invite you to read the updated course description:<\/em><\/p>\n

This course overviews the forces shaping U.S. food and nutrition policies, diets, and cultural politics in the twenty-first century. \u00a0Special emphases in 2020 include critical responses to the COVID-19 pandemic and nation-wide demands for an end to all forms of racial and ethnic violence and injustice. Course resources and discussions cover the history of U.S. domestic food policy, the Farm Bill, \u201cself-reliance\u201d versus \u201ccomparative advantage,\u201d and “sustainability\/resilience” versus \u201cefficiency,\u201d and rights-based vs needs-based approaches as drivers of American agricultural, dietary, and food-regulatory policies.\u00a0\u00a0All topics and sessions integrate consideration of the multiple ways nutrition policies intersect with health disparities associated with systemic racism, inequalities, and violence. Using Greater Boston as a reference case in point, these discussions critically examine how 2020 nutrition-policy efforts by civil society and government align goals and actions to move forward from hunger to health, and use an \u201cequity lens\u201d to link short-term thinking with longer term outcomes.\u00a0\u00a0Concluding sessions probe responses to the question, \u201cIs there a human right to food in the United States?\u201d– what additional actions are required?<\/p>\n

“Food systems,” “food chains,” and “dietary structure” provide major analytical frameworks for tracing how food moves from farm to table, and the role of local through national government and private for-profit and non-profit non-government institutions in managing these food flows. Within each and considering the food system as a whole, course materials and discussions examine structural violence and persistent inequalities, and the ways policy, practice, and performance mitigate or exacerbate nutritional differences and enlarge or restrict the many voices of those impacted.<\/p>\n

Class projects throughout the term explore how the current context affects particular food categories and food value chains, and the ways institutions are developing new strategies and tactics to address recent challenges.\u00a0\u00a0Assigned readings about regional food-sheds will draw on Northeast and<\/p>\n

New England case studies, but participants joining from a distance will be able to contribute comparative information and experiences from their home locations, where comparable multi-sectoral \u201cfood security\u201d and \u201csustainable food systems\u201d initiatives intersect with \u201cglobalization from below.\u201d These policy discussions constructively analyze the multiple layers of regulations and policies, and civil-society organizations and networks, which shape U.S. food systems and food chains at federal, state, municipal, and community levels.\u00a0\u00a0They highlight the significance of policy, practice, and performance that influence the varying outcomes and impacts of federal programs at state and local levels.<\/p>\n

Objective<\/strong>s<\/strong>:<\/p>\n