n.MA.ENR.GEGAFS.22FS (Global Economic Geographies of Agriculture and Food Systems) 
Modul: Global Economic Geographies of Agriculture and Food Systems
Diese Information wurde generiert am: 19.04.2024
Nr.
n.MA.ENR.GEGAFS.22FS
Bezeichnung
Global Economic Geographies of Agriculture and Food Systems
Credits
6

Beschreibung

Version: 1.0 gültig ab 01.02.2022
Studiengang
Degree Program		 MSc in Environment and Natural Resources
Arbeitsaufwand
Workload		 180 hours
Modulleitung
Module Coordinator		 Roman Grüter (ZHAW), Christian Berndt (UZH)
Dozierende
Lecturers		 Christian Berndt (UZH), Christine Wiederkehr (UZH)
Eingangskompetenzen
Entry Requirements		 The students should be able to
  • describe the food and agricultural system on a local and global scale,
  • identify conflicts within the global agriculture and food systems.
  • Students should have a strong interest in alternative strategies for food production and land use systems.
Ausgangskompetenzen
Learning Outcome and Competences		 The students will learn to
  • develop an overview of contemporary academic literature and concepts pertaining to global food and agricultural systems.
  • critically discuss specific phenomena of globalization, commodification, and industrialization of agriculture using concepts and approaches from heterodox economic geography.
  • have an understanding of alternative ways of organizing food production and provision and their strengths and weaknesses.
  • acquire and practice crucial academic skills such as writing, moderating, and debating.
Inhalte
Module Content		 This seminar focuses on the contradictory ways in which we produce and consume food in our current global times. On the one hand, we engage with globalized industrial agriculture and food systems using concepts such as the agro-food commodity chain as our conceptual entry-point. A particular focus is placed on issues that are related to the commodification of land, labour and money.

On the other hand, we will critically discuss existing alternatives that aim to address some of the problems and weaknesses of industrial agriculture. Theoretically, we will seek inspiration from critical political economy and from the literature that approaches the economy from a poststructuralist perspective. A field trip towards the end of the semester will put students into dialogue with practitioners from NGOs and the private sector, enabling them to deepen class discussions and to make connections with their everyday life.

Presence in class (incl. field trip), active participation in group work and discussions, individual preparation for seminars (key readings, podcasts) is expected.
Lehr-/Lernmethoden
Teaching / Learning Methods		 Discussion seminars, inputs sessions (podcasts), group work, key readings, field trip
Leistungsnachweis
Assessment of Learning
Outcome		 The assessment of learning outcome is composed as follows
  • Seminar paper (sufficient mark required); (60% of the final mark)
  • field-trip group work (40% of the final mark)
Bibliographie
Bibliography		 Compulsory reading and further contributions for in-depth study of the topics covered will be announced at the beginning of the semester.
Unterrichtssprache
Language		 English
Bemerkungen
Comments		 Participation in the module «Global Economic Geographies of Agriculture and Food Systems”, held at University of Zurich, is limited to three ZHAW master students. An application via an official form is required. The selection of participants will be based on a description of motivation and the alignment with the individual study plan.