Bitter and Sweet: The Business of Chocolate

(3 Credits)

The cocoa industry today serves as a microcosm of the global economy and faces considerable ecological, economic, social and cultural challenges that need addressing on a global scale. Students will study the world of chocolate over its entire value chain, exploring its history and culture, cultivation and economic development, business and economics, marketing and branding, politics and trade, science and nutrition, sustainability and labor issues as well as the future of the industry amidst climate and development challenges. Why is one of the world's most beloved foods - chocolate - built on a foundation of systemic inequities, and how can industry multinationals address this imbalance? Students will engage in interviews with local stakeholders and directly experience chocolate through workshops and tastings to explore the unique challenges and opportunities that this important industry faces in Ghana. Insights derived from this course will be relevant not only to the chocolate industry, but also to others that grapple with similar issues on a global scale. This is an away course in Accra.