SIS 319-002: Political Ecologies of Food & Agriculture
Global Environmental Politics Program, School of International Service, American University
Spring 2012
Class time: Mon 11:45am-2:25pm
Prof: T. Garrett Graddy (graddy@american.edu)
Office hours: Wed 9am-1pm (open), Mon 9:30-11:30am (sign up), or by appt
Class location: EQB 200
Office phone: x6269
Office location: SIS 306
“Eating is an agricultural act” –Wendell Berry, Farmer & Writer
“!La tierra es de quien la trabaja con sus manos!”—Emiliano Zapata, Mexican Revolutionary for Agrarian Reform
“We have a food system that has largely been built on the backs of people who don’t have a lot of rights and access to
our public policy infrastructure. We need to collectively better understand the inequities in the food system and make
sure we include people who have faced these inequities in finding solutions.”—LaDonna Redmond, Food Justice
Activist
Course Objectives & Description
Welcome. This course will explore key policies, paradigms, and political debates affecting
contemporary agrifood systems. The intentions of this course are threefold:
 To study, investigate, debate, engage, understand, and communicate the diverse
political ecologies of food and agriculture at work in the US and abroad…
 So as to contribute to a more informed and effective dialogue on international and
domestic agricultural policy…
 So as to help co-cultivate a more ecologically sustainable, socially just, and
economically viable agrifood system worldwide.
The guiding intention of this course is to provide a forum wherein students learn from and
contribute to the work underway in cultivating more socially just and ecologically sustainable
agrifood systems—in the US and abroad. The course begins with historical and geographical
contexts of agriculture and agricultural policy in the Americas—such as colonialism to slavery.
Then we will study policies and political theories related to the pressing issues at stake in
agriculture—be they ecological (soil and biodiversity erosion, water pollution and carbon
emissions) or socio-economic (hunger, labor and health). Finally, the course ends by engaging
proposed resolutions to these issues: from reforms to revolutions to regenerations. This class aims
to provide an understanding of the diverse subject of agricultural politics from a post-colonial
perspective focusing the political ecology and political economy of the various places and
networks that comprise agriculture in the US and abroad. To accomplish this, we shall be
critically and collectively engaging with a variety of texts, essays, maps, films, literatures, art,
websites, music, guest lectures (virtual and live), mixed media, foods, as well as, of course, our
ongoing class conversation. Key questions of the class are: what constitutes sustainable
agriculture? What constitutes community food security? How are these lofty goals contested and
negotiated through political debate? Can they be facilitated through policy?
Learning Outcomes
This class is designed to help each student accomplish:
 A solid grasp of key domestic and international agrifood debates, policies, institutions,
and movements.
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 An appreciation and understanding of the critical role of historical phenomenon
(colonialism and slavery) and geographic phenomenon (river basins and soil fertility) in
thinking through contemporary agrifood crises and possibilities.
 A thorough introduction to the theoretical perspectives (and goals) of political ecology,
political economy, social & ecological justice, and post-colonialism.
 Ample opportunities to exercise and hone the following skill-sets:
o Advanced reading comprehension
o Written communication skills (in response papers and final research paper)
o Oral communication skills (in articulating oneself in class discussions, in reading
aloud excerpts from one’s response papers or take-home essays, in cofacilitations, in the creative proposal presentations),
o Critical and creative analysis, synthesis, and application,
o Introduction to theoretical and empirical qualitative research methods (including
participant observation, participant action research, literature reviews, and
discourse analysis), and
o Effective collaborative work
 Active, ongoing, open-minded inquiry into the many important themes and issues at work
in agricultural policy and politics.
Course Resources
Our Teaching Assistant
We are fortunate to have Ms. Sonia Saini, graduate student in SIS Global Environmental Politics
program, join us this semester as teaching assistant. Ms. Saini recently graduated from UC-Davis
having majored in sociology and Latin American history (with a minor in Middle East/South Asia
Studies). She has studied history in Cusco, Peru, conducted research on social dynamics & public
space in Mexico City, and has future research plans in Spain. Most recently, she just returned
from Havana, Cuba where she initiated research on Cuba’s legendary urban agriculture
movement. From here, she aims to work with domestic or international government agencies or
NGOs that are committed to “creating a more sustainable, livable world and [that] take into
consideration the different political, social, and economic realities worldwide” (personal
communication). Our class will no doubt be enriched with the experience, perspective, and
assistance of Ms. Saini.
Course webpage
This is a static version of a dynamic syllabus. As the course proceeds, modifications to the
readings and schedule may arise to accommodate the needs and interests of the class.
Accordingly, it is imperative that you regularly check the online, current version of our class
syllabus, available through Blackboard. Also, class announcements regarding assignments,
exams, readings, or room changes will be posted via our course website every week. Finally, our
discussion board comprises a key element of our ongoing class conversation—itself the backbone
of the entire class. Posting thoughtful questions, reflections, links to our class discussion board
serves as an opportunity to expand and deepen (not substitute) live class participation.
Required Texts
 Berry, Wendell (1977) The Unsettling of America: Culture & Agriculture. San Francisco:
Sierra Club Books.
 Imhoff, Dan (2007) Food Fight: The 2007 Farm Bill. Berkeley, CA: University of
California Press.
 Patel, Raj (2007) Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System.
Brooklyn, NY: Melville House Publishing.
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
Shiva, Vandana (2000) Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply.
Cambridge, MA: South End Press.
Suggested Texts
 Over the course of the semester, I shall providing you with additional bibliography of
texts, films, websites, and other materials pertaining to each week’s topics. These will not
be required for this course, but hopefully will allow you to begin a personal database of
resources on subjects of interest and import to you (and perhaps your creative proposal
project).
All required books are available for purchase at American University’s Student Bookstore. They
can also be found (often cheaper) online. Other texts to be handed out in class, emailed, or linked
via our course website. Most will be available through the College library’s e-reserve (through
Bb).
***Please read all of these texts carefully and critically. We shall engage the material presented
therein as well as discern and debate any shortcomings we may find in its perspectives.
Course Policies
Classroom Schedule & Ethics
Please plan to come to class promptly at 11:45am. After briefly covering class logistics, a
pair/group of students will initiate and co-facilitate class discussion. After this student-led
facilitation and subsequent, lively debate and conversation—and ten-minute break—I will
provide a supplemental “mini-lecture” on the content and context of the readings (so as to cover
what was not included in your facilitations). This may include a PowerPoint, clips from related
documentaries, and/or a closer textual analysis. During February, I shall use some of this time to
elaborate upon qualitative research methods and methodologies to be drawn upon during your
‘paradoxes of empowered consumption’ ventures (see below).
At this time, we embark upon a more thorough round of questions, clarifications, and seminar
discussion/debate. Despite the partial-lecture format, students are expected to engage actively in
class conversation. Often, we will break out into small-group discussions and then re-convene as
a class to further explore a topic and navigate a debate. The overall classroom ethics are: active,
informed engagement and abiding, mutual respect. We are here primarily to learn with and from
each other.
Electronics in classroom
In general, laptops are not allowed in class due to their distracting tendencies. That said, if you
have special circumstances necessitating laptop use, please see me during office hours to discuss
the situation. Cell phones are not permitted in class.
Classroom & Learning Accommodations
Please come to office hours and bring a letter from the Disability Office let me know if you need
any classroom or learning accommodations. The University has an extensive support system for
various learning styles and needs, and I am happy to facilitate this. Please see insert for logistical
details.
Office Hours
My office hours are Monday mornings 9:30-11:30am (sign up) and Wednesday afternoons 9am1pm (open door/garden) or by appointment. Once the weather warms a bit (late February?) and
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weather depending, Wednesday office hours will be held in the AU Community Garden (near
tennis courts). We can chat about neoliberalism and soil erosion while mulching and weeding
spring greens. Please feel free to come by (SIS 306 and/or the garden) to discuss the readings,
class conversation, and assignments as well as any questions you may have regarding the class.
Email Policy
Ask questions regarding class logistics in class, well ahead of deadlines. If you have additional
questions, please see me during office hours. As a last resort, you email me, and I will try to reply
within two days.
Absences and Make-ups
Your attendance is critical to your success in this class. If you are quite ill or have a family
emergency, it is your responsibility to borrow class notes from a fellow student. There will be no
make-ups given for exams or in-class activities unless you have a University-approved excuse,
which only includes: a serious illness (with a doctor’s note), a personal tragedy, or religious
holidays. If you are on a sports team and have pre-arranged absences, you must show me the
schedule at the beginning of the semester. Please see AU’s Handbook of Student Rights and
Responsibilities.
Academic Code of Integrity
This course complies with American University’s Academic Integrity Code, which can be found
online at: www.american.edu/academics/integrity/code.htm. Plagiarism, of course, is a serious
offense—and, these days, easy to expose. Read this Code for definitions of plagiarism and the
University’s stern penalties. Rather: use these writing opportunities to assemble and articulate
your own fine thoughts.
Emergency Preparedness for Disruption of Classes:
“In the event of an emergency, AU will implement a plan for meeting the needs of all members of
the university community. Should the university be required to close for a period of time, we are
committed to ensuring that all aspects of our educational programs will be delivered to our
students. These may include altering and extending the duration of the traditional term schedule
to complete essential instruction in the traditional format and/or use of distance instructional
methods. Specific strategies will vary from class to class, depending on the format of the course
and the timing of the emergency. Faculty will communicate class-specific information to
students via AU e-mail and Blackboard, while students must inform their faculty immediately of
any absence. Students are responsible for checking their AU e-mail regularly and keeping
themselves informed of emergencies. In the event of an emergency, students should refer to the
AU Student Portal, the AU Web site (www. prepared. american.edu) and the AU information line
at (202) 885-1100 for general university-wide information, as well as contact their faculty and/or
respective dean’s office for course and school/college-specific information.”
Evaluation & Grading
Coursework for this class falls into three domains:
1) Active Class Participation & Class Co-facilitation (200 pts total)
You have been forewarned: this class is reading intensive—in terms of quantity and text
difficulty. We shall be engaging a wide array of written work: from scholarly articles to
political manifestos, social theory to primary source historical documents, policy briefings to
journalism. There will also be a number of films to watch and analyze. Most weeks, I shall
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post a few questions regarding that week’s assignment on the class webpage. As you read or
watch, think through these questions. In class, be ready to summarize readings and films,
contextualize them within course themes, and offer your astute reflections—either within
your written analysis or more informally in class conversation. As a seminar, this class is a
collective endeavor: we are here to learn from each other. Engaged, brave, respectful, class
discussion constitutes the central component of this class, and I look forward to hearing
ongoing analysis and insights from each of you throughout the semester—through vigorous,
informed in-class conversation as well as online discussion boards. Attendance, clearly, is
key; I encourage you to make friends with a classmate or two early in the semester, so if an
illness or emergency happens to arise, you have access to thorough, well-scribed class notes.
(120 pts)
In addition to regular attendance and thorough participation in each class, you are also going
to be co-facilitating a class discussion on a reading of your choosing (a roster will be ready
by the second week of class). This will entail reading the assigned texts (or films) thoroughly,
discerning the key points, perhaps doing a small amount of background contextualization (if
you think it is needed), and working with a partner or two to lead class discussion on that
portion of the reading/screening. Partners are to come to class ready to lead 15 or so minutes
of class discussion on this text/film (per person), with a one-page summary of the reading or
mini-PowerPoint that lays out key points. Each co-facilitator brings 2-3 thoughtful and
thought-provoking questions based on the reading, so as to spark dialogue and debate on how
this text relates to themes we have been discussing in class. Preparation for this co-facilitation
must be shared equally between the partners. Though relatively informal, these class
facilitations will give you the chance to cultivate the important skills of: a) public speaking
(guiding us through the readings): b) leading a discussion or debate on the readings (eliciting
conversation from all class mates); c) critical thinking (analysis and synthesis); d)
collaboration; and d) application of textual content/context to a related topic or issue of
interest and import. (80 pts)
2) Two Exams (400 pts total)
Midterm: Mon, Feb 27th (200 pts)
Final: Mon, May 7th (200 pts)
These exams are attempts at integrating problem-solving and collaborative learning with
useful ‘banking’ style learning. Both have three components: 1) maps; 2) short answer, based
in large part on knowledge deemed important by you and your peers during class cofacilitations; and 3) long answer, wherein you analyze, synthesize, and apply theories we
have been learning and discussing in class to a real-world conundrum.
To prepare, above all, read the class reading thoroughly every week. Take careful, attentive
notes on the texts, class lectures, class co-facilitations, films, teleconferences, and class
discussions. Each PowerPoint will be posted on our course website, though these are skeletal
in content and necessitate class notes (and thus class presence) to make sense. Practice maps
will be handed out in advance. Throughout the semester, review your notes consistently.
Before the exams, consult the online study guides and review even more—perhaps, with
fellow classmates.
Each exam covers the preceding portion of the class and is not cumulative. We’ll cover
further details in class. In the meantime, I shall end each class with an overview of what
needs to be memorized (first portion of exams), known more generally/conceptually (second),
and pondered thoroughly (third).
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3) Beyond-the-classroom Research Projects & Papers (400 points total)
There are, additionally, two mini-research projects assigned over the course of the semester,
involving active learning and interdisciplinary, beyond-the-classroom investigation and
application1:

Paradoxes of Empowered Consumption: Berry & 21st Century DC Sustainable
Food Sources
o Attend and/or patronize four sustainable food outlets in and around DC.
These can be farmer’s markets (such as the winter DuPont Sunday
market or the Bethesda Farm Women’s indoor market); ‘health’ food
grocery stores (Yes Organic Market, Whole Foods, Trader Joe’s, etc);
restaurants explicitly advertising local, organic or sustainable food, or
involvement in a local CSA (community supported agriculture). Take
note (and perhaps pictures) of the products and/or meals being sold.
Where does this food come from? What constitutes its ‘sustainability’?
Compare locations, supply chains (how they are presented to the
consumers), prices, attendees, and general ambiance. Strike up a
conversation with a farmer or two regarding their experience growing for
that market—or with a waiter or owner about their experience selling
such items. Questions could (but do not have to) include: Has business
been increasing in the past few years? What are the main successes and
main challenges of this endeavor? Additionally, read literatures on your
selected businesses or markets—websites, brochures, promotional or
journalistic press coverage, etc. In general, learn as much as you can (in
one month) about the state of DC’s sustainable food networks and
offerings.
o Now, write a preliminary assessment of your selected sites using the
frameworks set out by Berry a generation ago Unsettling of America.
How is the crisis of (agri)cultural alienation addressed, mitigated,
compounded, and/or evaded in the particular sustainable food outlets you
observed and participated in? Can consumption be empowering or
enlightening with regard to transforming US place-less ‘agribusiness’ to
place-based agricultures? How do gender, race, class, knowledge, and
privilege factor in? What changes could be made—with regard to these
businesses and markets—to help them contribute to a more ecologically
sustainable, socially just, economically viable agrifood economy? (Are
these even the goals: how would you articulate the goals with regard to
food & agriculture?) This paper needs to be 5-6 pages long (doublespaced)
and
will
be
graded
on:
1)
how
informed/knowledgeable/grounded in fieldwork & the text itself it is; 2)
how thoughtful/analytical/creative it is; and 3) how wellwritten/organized/persuasive it is. These are due Monday, March 5th).
(150 pts)
o (For locations of farmer’s markets, see www.washingtonpost.com/wpsrv/metro/usersguides/dc/FmrMkt.html)
 Creative Proposal Project: Save the Day!
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Both of these projects are adapted from Prof. Simon Nicholson’s SIS 319 course last spring—the former loosely, the latter closely.
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o
o
Begin by selecting and articulating a local, national or international
agrifood issue that we have covered in class—one that is of particular
interest and import to you. Research the various angles of this subject,
exploring books, scholarly articles, journalism, documentaries, etc. on
the topic. Then propose a community response (broadly defined) to the
issue that would in some way mitigate or alleviate the problems therein.
This response can take many forms (political, legislative, regulatory,
technological, social, economic, epistemological, or any combination
thereof)—but must constitute meaningful action or intervention. Write a
5-6 page, double-spaced elucidation of your proposal, identifying how
and why it could work to improve this particular agrifood conundrum.
This paper will be graded on how 1) informed/knowledgeable, 2)
thoughtful/analytical, and 3) well-written/organized/persuasive it is. Due
Monday, April 2nd. (150 pts)
The second part of the assignment is to formulate a creative means of
presenting your proposal to the intended audience (the community called
upon to respond to the agrifood issue). This can take a number of
forms—from street theatre to documentary shorts, from visual art to
websites or blogs, children’s books to cook books. Ground your creative
message in your research. This part of the project will also be graded on
how 1) informed/knowledgeable, 2) thoughtful/creative, and 3) wellexecuted/effective it is. These are due Monday April 23rd. We will
continue last year’s tradition of displaying your creative projects on
campus. More details and discussion to come regarding specific logistics
of this project. (100 pts)
This class is worth 1000 points total. The numerical breakdown for specific grades is as follows: A (3.84.0=950-1000pts=exceptional work); A- (3.6-3.79=900-949 pts=excellent work); B+ (3.47-3.59=866-899
pts=highly proficient work); B (3.34-3.46=833-865 pts=proficient work); B- (3.2-3.33=800-832 pts=
=somewhat proficient work); C+ (3.0-3.19=750-799 pts=competent work); C (2.88-2.99=720-749
pts=satisfactory work); C- (2.6-2.87=650-719 pts=mediocre work); D (2.4-2.59=600-649 pts=poor work);
and F (0-2.3=0-599 pts=failure).
Course Reading & Assignment Schedule
(As previously mentioned, this reading & assignment schedule is subject to minor changes—
based in part on your interests and the direction of the class conversation. Each week, I shall
announce the following week’s readings as well as post them on Bb.)
Jan 23- Class Introductions: Why study the political ecologies of food & agriculture?
* Course & syllabus overview: pedagogy & epistemology
-in-class reading of Freire, Paolo (1970) “Chapter Two” Pedagogy of the
Oppressed
* Introduction to ‘political ecology’: perspectives, debates & visions
[If the theoretical framework of political ecology still eludes or interests you after this brief
introduction, please see (among others):
* Robbins, Paul 2004. Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction. Wiley Blackwell.
*Vayda and Walters, 1999 A. Vayda and B. Walters, “Against political ecology” Human
Ecology 27 (1) (1999), pp. 167–179.
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*Blaikie, P. 2008. Epilogue: Towards a future for political ecology that works.”
Geoforum 39 (2):765-772.
*Rocheleau, DE. 2008. Political ecology in the key of policy: From chains of explanation
to webs of relation. Geoforum 39 (2):716-727]
Political Ecologies of Food & Agriculture, Part I: Historical & Geographical Contexts in the
Americas
Jan 30- Indigenous Agriculture Across the Americas: A Political Ecology
*Jarosz, Lucy (2004) “Political Ecology as Ethical Practice.” Political Geography vol 23
(7)
*“The Spaniards’ Entry into Tenochtitlán” (1519) by Bernal Díaz del Castillo and Hernán
Cortés (excerpts)
* Denezen, William (1992) “The Pristine Myth: The Landscape of the Americas in 1492”
Annals of the Association of American Geographers 82(3): 369-385.
* Popul Vuh (excerpts) – ancient Mayan sacred text
Feb 6- Violent Encounters: Agriculture through Colonialism & Slavery
*Florescano, Enrique (1971) “The Colonial Latifundio”
* Galeano, Eduardo (1973) “Lust for Gold, Lust for Silver” and “King Sugar & Other
Monarchs”, [excerpts TBA] from Open Veins of Latin America: Five Centuries of the
Pillage of a Continent]
* Mintz, Sidney (1986) Sweetness & Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History
(Chapter One)
*Carney, Judith (1998) “The Role of African Rice & Slaves in US Rice Agriculture”
Human Ecology Volume 26(4): 525-545.
Feb 13- The ‘Green Revolution’: (Agri)Cultural Industrializations
*Berry, Wendell (1977) Chapters 1, 3-6, 8-9 (from Unsettling of America: Culture &
Agriculture)
Political Ecologies of Food & Agriculture, Part II: Present Predicaments & Global Crises
Feb 20- Food (In)Security: Political Economies of Hunger & Malnourishment
* Patel, Raj (2007) Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System
(Chaps 1, 3-5)
*Imhoff, Dan (2007) Food Fight: The 2007 Farm Bill.
*FAO Program on Food Security: http://www.fao.org/spfs/about-spfs/mission-spfs/en/
*IATP: “A Fair Farm Bill for the World’s Hungry”& “A Fair Farm Bill for Public Health”
Feb 27- Mid-term
* In-class screening: Food, Inc and King Corn (excerpts)
Mar 5- Labor & Gender: (Im)Migration & La Lucha
* Steinbeck, John Grapes of Wrath (excerpts)
*“The Mexican Connection: Un Pueblo, Una Lucha” (2002) by Rudolfo Acuña
*Chavez, Cesar An Organizer’s Tale “Chronology” (1950s-1970s) “We Shall
Overcome,”
“The Plan of El Delano” & “Wrath of Grapes”
*IATP: “A Fair Farm Bill for Immigration”& “A Fair Farm Bill for the World”
* In-class: “No More Deaths” (2011) - excerpts from online newsletter, archives, and
blogs
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Mar 12- SPRING BREAK
Mar 19- Political Ecology of Seeds: Agrobiodiversity & Agribiotechnology
*Vallodolid Rivera, Julio (1998) “Andean Peasant Agriculture: Nurturing a Diversity of
Life in the Chakra” (excerpts)
*Parque de la Papa: Declaration of Agrobiodiversity Conservation & Food Sovereignty
(2009)
* Monsanto Blog (2010) “Five Answers on Monsanto’s Haiti Seed Donation”
*Canby, Peter (2010) “Retreat to Subsistence”& No Maíz, no hay Pais” Mexican native
corn movement (TBA)
* Patel, Raj (2007) Stuffed & Starved (Chapter 6)
*David Suzuki, “Biotechnology: A Geneticist’s Personal Perspective,” in David Suzuki,
The David Suzuki Reader, (Vancouver: GreyStone Books, 2003) pp. 160-180.
Mar 26- Soil, not Oil: Erosion, Fertility & Peak Petroleum
*Montgomery, David (2008) Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations (Chapters 1, 5)
*Pfeiffer, Dale Allen (2006) Eating Fossil Fuels: Oil, Food, and the Coming Crisis in
Agriculture (Chapters 1, 3 & 9)
*Cuba: Bill McKibben, “The Cuba Diet,” (2005) Harper’s Magazine, April 2005, pp. 6169. Available online at www.harpers.org/archive/2005/04/0080501
* IATP: “A Fair Farm Bill for Conservation”
*Weekend screening: The Power of Community: How Cuba Survived Peak Oil
*In-class presentation: Sonia Saini
Apr 2- Animal ‘Production,’ Consumption & Rights: the Case of CAFOs
*Pew Trust National Commission on Industrial Farm Animal Production (2011)
*Pollan, Michael (2006) Ominvore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (Chaps
1, 4, 17)
* Schlosser, Eric (2002) Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal
(Chaps 6, 8, 10)
Political Ecologies of Food & Agriculture, Part III: Reforms, Revolutions & Regenerations
Apr 9- Women-led Agriculture & Food Sovereignty..
*Perfecto, Ivette, John Vandermeer & Angus Wright (2009) Nature’s Matrix: Linking
Agriculture, Conservation & Food Sovereignty (Chaps 1, 3, 6)
*Nyeleni Declaration of Food Sovereignty (2007)
*Wittman, Hannah, Annette Desmarais, and Nettie Wiebe (2010) “The Origins &
Potential of Food Sovereignty” (from Food Sovereignty: Reconnecting Food, Nature &
Community)
* Patel, Raj (2007) Stuffed & Starved: The Hidden Battle for the World Food System
(Chaps 8, 9)
*In-class screening: The Garden and PRATEC’s The Ritual Nurturance of Cultivate
Fields in the Andes (excerpts)
Apr 16- …as Food Security: Can small-scale farmers feed the world?
*Shiva, Vandana (2000) Stolen Harvest: The Hijacking of the Global Food System
(Chaps 1-4)
*International Assessment of Agricultural Knowledge, Science and Technology for
Development (2009) “Executive Summary of the Synthesis Report”
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*USDA, USAID & US State Dept: 2011 Feed the Future Report & Research Agenda
Apr 23- Agroecology: Beyond Organic
* Altieri, Miguel (2010) “Scaling Up Agroecological Approaches for Food Sovereignty
in
Latin America” (from Food Sovereignty: Reconnecting Food, Nature &
Community)
*“Eco-Farming Can Double Food Production in 10 Years says new UN Report”
*The Alliance for a Green Revolution in Africa: www.agra-alliance.org/section/about
(Skim website)
*Guthman, Julie (2004) Agrarian Dreams: Paradox of Organic Farming in California
(Introduction)
* Jackson, Wes “Introduction” [to (2010) Consulting the Genius of Place: An Ecological
Approach to a New Agriculture] & “A 50-Year Farm Bill Proposal Goes to Washington”
*Compost/food waste: US/DC assessment (TBA)
Apr 30- Food Justice: Equity through Agriculture?
*People’s Grocery, Oakland, CA (website); Food For All, Washington DC (website)
*Goodman, MK. 2004. Reading fair trade: Political ecological imaginary and the moral
economy of fair trade foods. Political Geography 23 (7):891-915.
*Martins, Mônica Dias (2006) “ Learning to Participate: the MST Experience in Brazil”
(from Promised Land: Competing Visions of Agrarian Reform)
*IATP: A Fair Farm Bill for America” & IATP Food Justice Project (with LaDonna
Redmond)
*Berry, Wendell (2010) “The Necessity of Agriculture” in Harper’s Magazine
May 7- Final Exam
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