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Food and Politics
Instructor(s): Rob
Reich
Prerequisites: None
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| The premise of this course is that eating is a political and ethical activity. George Orwell wrote on this topic in his novel The Road to Wigan Pier: A human being is primarily a bag for putting food into; the other functions and faculties may be more godlike, but in point of time they come afterwards. A man dies and is buried, and all his words and actions are forgotten, but the food he has eaten lives after him in the sound or rotten bones of his children. I think it could be plausibly argued that changes of diet are more important than changes of dynasty or even of religion. The Great War, for instance, could never have happened if tinned food had not been invented. And the history of the past four hundred years in England would have been immensely different if it had not been for the introduction of root-crops and various other vegetables at the end of the Middle Ages, and a little later the introduction of non-alcoholic drinks (tea, coffee, cocoa) and also of distilled liquors to which the beer-drinking English were not accustomed. Yet it is curious how seldom the all-importance of food is recognized. You see statues everywhere to politicians, poets, bishops, but none to cooks or bacon-curers or market-gardeners.”
We will examine the agricultural production, distribution, and consumption of food. Focus areas include organic and sustainable farming; federal agricultural and free trade policies; animal ethics; and the political context of famine and obesity. Special emphasis will be placed on ethical consideration of these issues. Students will write short reflection papers on readings, post regular blog entries, and carry out a short project. Possible
activities during Sophomore College include a visit to the San Francisco Farmers Market in the Ferry Building, conversations with Stanford Dining services, and visits to local farms. We’ll also cook some meals together.
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| Rob Reich is an associate professor of political science, ethics in society, and (by courtesy) education at Stanford. His main
interests are in contemporary liberal theory, and he is currently at work on two projects: one on ethics, public policy, and philanthropy; and the other on the ideals of equality and adequacy in education. Professor Reich is the author of Bridging Liberalism and Multiculturalism in American Education. He is a recipient of the Walter J. Gores Award for excellence in
undergraduate and graduate teaching, Stanford’s highest award
for teaching. |
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