RSO-34806 Social Transformations towards Sustainable Food Systems

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Basic knowledge of sustainable food systems

Contents:

This course focuses on the social regulation and transformations of food systems . More specifically it focusses on: a) how less sustainable systems of food provisioning are deliberately transformed into more sustainable ones and b) how this transformation process and its implications can be understood and assessed from a social sciences perspective.
The aim of the course is to provide a social sciences perspective on the dynamics and diversity of sustainable systems of food provisioning and provide the tools to assess their impact and contribution towards achieving the UN sustainable development goals. This will be achieved by a combination of lectures, group assignments and workshops.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- understand and explain the worldwide dynamics and diversity in food systems from a social science perspective;
- understand and analyse social transformations towards sustainable food systems from different theoretical and methodological perspectives;
- explain and integrate the cultural and ecological embedding, the governance, the transformative capacity and the versatile values of food systems;
- apply integrative, holistic approaches to assess the impact of food systems;
- critically reflect on the contribution of food systems to sustainable development;
- reflect on the role of researchers in transforming food systems and enhancinge sustainable development.

Activities:

- lectures;
- group assignments;
- workshops.

Examination:

- group assignments 50%;
- written exam 50%;
In order to pass the course the threshold mark of 5.5 for the written exam has to be met.

Literature:

Will be available at Blackboard.