Description
This class explores the development of agriculture from its origins to its modern forms, and relates these transformations to critical social issues, such as the disappearance of small farms in the First World and the rise of hunger and poverty in the Third World. We investigate the origins of these problems, look at how they are connected, and explore various approaches to solving them, including governmental intervention, food aid, technological advancements, free trade, and radical social changes, such as land reform.
We then consider the promise of biotechnology, and evaluate whether biotechnology offers a promising new solution to these problems, or whether it threatens to commit some of the same errors made during previous attempts at technological fixes. Finally, we explore alternative agricultural pathways, such as organic and urban agriculture.