Course Description

What is social sustainability? Why should we care? How can we develop agricultural and food systems that are socially, as well as environmentally and economically, sustainable? How can we support food systems that are healthy and equitable for producers and consumers? These questions are explored through coursework and service-learning.

Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students will have additional readings beyond the undergraduate level. They will have greater responsibility in leading weekly course discussions. Their final papers will be longer than undergraduate papers, and they will give a final presentation based on their work in the course.

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Athena Title

Social Sustainability in Ag

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Grading System

A - F (Traditional)

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Student Learning Outcomes

• By the end of this seminar, students should be able to compare social sustainability to environmental and economic sustainability.
• By the end of this seminar, students should be able to apply key facets of social sustainability to agricultural and food systems.
• By the end of this seminar, students should be able to critically assess how environmental, economic, governance frameworks impact the social sustainability of agricultural and food systems.
• By the end of this seminar, students should be able to evaluate how the social sustainability of food systems affects the lives of producers (farmers and laborers) and consumers through service learning.

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Topical Outline

• 1. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY (Relationship to environmental and economic sustainability)
• 2. KEY THEORETICAL FRAMEWORKS (Sustainability; Service-learning theory)
• 3. SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY IN AG/FOOD SYSTEMS (overview)
• 4. CONSUMPTION (Key issues facing consumers: Food and cultural identity; food (in)security and feeding programs; alternative food movements)
• 5. PRODUCTION (Key issues facing farmers, farm workers, and other laborers: land issues, labor inequalities, workplace health/safety)
• 6. TECHNOLOGY (What’s the appropriate role of technology? Who gets to decide?)
• 7. SOCIAL MOVEMENTS

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Institutional Competencies

Critical Thinking

The ability to pursue and comprehensively evaluate information before accepting or establishing a conclusion, decision, or action.

Social Awareness & Responsibility

The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.

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Syllabus

Select Faculty / Instructor to download syllabus:   Thompson, Jennifer

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