Food Health and Climate Change

What are the historical, socio-political and economic drivers of our current food system?
What role do you see yourself playing in the current food system?

How can we change the future of local and global food systems – from farm to fork – with our words, images, stories and imagination to create more just and sustainable food systems?

The human brain has always been highly tuned towards narratives for making sense of the world around us. Our stories and culture around food, consciously and unconsciously influence what we eat, which in turn, impacts our health as well as the health of the planet. Yet, scientific studies of food systems—specifically, within the field of economics—rarely take into account the critical role that narratives play in the design and functioning of our food system. On the other hand, humanities-based perspectives on food system often fall short of a complete understanding of the economic underpinnings of how the food system has evolved and how it functions. This Lab will explore how the intersections between the humanities, narratives and economics inform us about the connections between food systems, climate change, and the health of humans and the planet. As a final deliverable for the course, students will work with food system stakeholders to develop alternative visions of the future of food, and explore the narratives, policies and actions needed to get us there.

Collaborations

Collaborations TBA

Impact Outcomes

Students will share their findings with the general public in a format of their choosing. This will be updated several times. Include intended outcomes and then when Lab is over, come back here to update with examples of some of the outcomes.