Food is essential and meaningful. Attention to the production, availability, and consumption of food has been heightened along with research into effects of climate change, the global incidents of the adulteration of food causing death and injury, growing rates of obesity and poor nutrition leading to chronic disease, rising food prices due to energy costs that threaten food security in impoverished communities, and the controversial development of genetically modified foods. Food has become a source of anxiety and conflict. While stories of contaminated foods fuel social anxieties over the vulnerability of the food supply, the increasing number of food riots in the developing world indicates a gross imbalance in a distribution system that creates fatal deprivation and wasteful abundance. In this interdisciplinary course we will examine agricultural production, the science of food, the global supply chain of food commodities, food safety and food-borne pathogens, malnutrition, diet and nutrition regimes, and the politics around food justice movements. Food is entangled in historical, political, economic, social, and ethical systems that serve to shape our identities, our communities, and our ideological beliefs. Through the lens of food, we will examine how the future of human health is intimately tied to the future of how and what we will eat.
Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:
Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to:- Analyse the modern food system and its devastating consequences to human health and the environment
- Develop writing skills through critically reading and reflecting on the theoretical literature.
- Work
collaboratively to produce original research that contributes to public
scholarship on the topic.
- Gain awareness of local and global organizations involved with food production and food justice movements.
- Actively participate in the debate to find solutions to food related problems.
Indicative Assessment
Seminar Participation 10% [LO 1,4,5]Letter to the Editor 10% [LO 1,2,4,5]
Presentation and Leading of Discussion 10% [LO 1,2,4,5]
Online Discussion Board Postings 20% [LO 1,2,5]
Group Project 50% (each student will be assessed based on a collective assessment and an individual assessment to measure individual contribution to the group project) [LO 3]
The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.
Workload
130 hours of total student learning time made up from: a) 36 hours of contact over 12 weeks; and b) 94 hours of independent student research, reading, writing and preparation for seminar.Prescribed Texts
Updated reading material will be provided each year on the course wattle site.Fees
Tuition fees are for the academic year indicated at the top of the page.
If you are a domestic graduate coursework or international student you will be required to pay tuition fees. Tuition fees are indexed annually. Further information for domestic and international students about tuition and other fees can be found at Fees.
- Student Contribution Band:
- 2
- Unit value:
- 6 units
If you are an undergraduate student and have been offered a Commonwealth supported place, your fees are set by the Australian Government for each course. At ANU 1 EFTSL is 48 units (normally 8 x 6-unit courses). You can find your student contribution amount for each course at Fees. Where there is a unit range displayed for this course, not all unit options below may be available.
| Units | EFTSL |
|---|---|
| 6.00 | 0.12500 |
Course fees
- Domestic fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $4260 |
- International fee paying students
| Year | Fee |
|---|---|
| 2019 | $6060 |
Offerings, Dates and Class Summary Links
ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities / tutorials so they can better plan their time. Find out more on the Timetable webpage.
Class summaries, if available, can be accessed by clicking on the View link for the relevant class number.