The Fall 2017 International Seminar Series will focus on food justice and sustainability. The seminar series will take place at noon on Wednesdays in the Bone Student Center throughout the semester. The series is free and open to the public.
Noha Shawki from the Department of Politics and Government, Gina Hunter from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, and Kathryn Sampeck from the Department of Sociology and Anthropology have worked with the Office of International Studies and Programs to coordinate this semester’s series.
The topic, food justice and sustainability, will focus on how the global food system and foodways intersect with a number of critical global issues, including human rights, water, energy, global public health, climate change, and social and environmental sustainability. The discussions will also be organized around four dimensions of food and food systems: the economic, environmental, cultural, and social/political dimensions.
Food is inextricably connected to place, culture, and identity, and is a cornerstone of family and community life. The food sector is therefore critical for the success of global efforts to promote sustainable development and global justice, and food can serve as a helpful lens through which to study and understand urgent global challenges. Given the significance of the food system for different areas of our lives, it is no surprise that different actors have mobilized in recent years to begin transforming the way food is produced and consumed at the local level and to lobby governments and intergovernmental organizations to reform the food system.
The list of speakers for the fall has not yet been announced but information will be updated throughout the summer term.
The series is sponsored by the Office of International Studies and Programs. For additional information, please contact the Office of International Studies and Programs at (309) 438-5276.
