Global Hunger, Malnutrition , and Obesity

3 units

This course critically examines global and local paradigms of food production, nutrition, and health through an interdisciplinary lens. We begin by analyzing the dominant "feed the world" model rooted in the Green Revolution and industrial agriculture. Drawing on work by Glenn Stone and others, we explore the social and ecological shortcomings of this model and the promise of agroecological alternatives—often developed by Indigenous and smallholder farmers themselves.We then shift our focus to the politics of food and health in the United States. Through readings by Julie Guthman, Natalie Boero, and Gyorgy Scrinis, we interrogate how fatphobia, the concept of an "obesity epidemic," and reductive nutritionist ideologies have shaped American food and health discourse—often in ways that reinforce social inequality and benefit corporate interests. Finally, we investigate how these paradigms travel globally, with a focus on Guatemala, Malawi, the Philippines, Ghana, and West Papua. We consider how global development projects and interventions (e.g., GMOs, nutrition education) interact with local foodways and sociopolitical dynamics. Through this, students will come to understand that hunger and malnutrition are often political problems—rooted in inequality, dispossession, and systemic violence—rather than simply technical ones. Throughout the course, students will develop their analytical and writing skills through a series of drafts and final papers, culminating in a reflection on their evolving understanding of food systems and justice.