| Course Name | Year | Term | Period | Faculty / Graduate School | All Instructors | Credits |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15952:IR18‐AE108 Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 15953:IR-AS111 Introduction to Geography (RB) § 15954:Introduction to Humanities (RB) § 15955:RUIR-1803 Introduction to Humanities(RB) | 2024 | Fall | Wed2 | College Of Law,College Of Economics,College Of Business Administration,College Of Social Sciences,College Of International Relations,College Of Policy Science,College Of Letters,College of Image Arts and Sciences,College of Comprehensive Psychology,College of Science and Engineering,College of Information Science and Engineering,College of Sport and Health Science (tentative name) | YAMAMOTO NAMI | 2 |
Campus
Class Venue
Language
Course Outline and Method
"You are what you eat" is a phrase we hear frequently. So, who decides what we eat every day? You might think that we ourselves determine what food goes on our tables. We critically analyze this view by revisiting the history of food and agriculture to understand how the food on our table has been shaped - and even nowadays is still being shaped - in a way beyond our control. Many scholars have been taking on the challenge of answering this question, which is far from straightforward. In this course, we, as eaters and stakeholders of the issue, take on this task by joining agri-food scholars.
We start this exploration by critically reviewing our current food system with a particular focus on the "foods that have changed the world": sugar, corn, soybeans, and grains. We continue our critical analysis, shedding light on some farm produce familiar to many of us, such as strawberries and pork (or meat in general). Our focus will go beyond the status quo of those commodities and farm produce. We will examine the historical context of the journeys that these foods have gone through and their implications from the social, political, environmental, and economic perspectives that historians, economists, and social scientists have interpreted. We conclude our exploration by looking closely at alternative food networks aiming at building sustainable and just food systems.
The course is organized around questions instead of answers, and the central learning activities of this course are readings and discussions, supplemented by mini-lectures by the instructor. The course will therefore require you to be an active reader and engaged participant. The students must be ready to complete reading responses and writing assignments and be willing to follow their curiosity and learn collaboratively in team-based and class discussions.
Student Attainment Objectives
• articulate and analyze the assumptions and complex challenges of current globalized agri-food systems, and the visions, achievements, and challenges of alternative food networks towards more just and sustainable food systems, with an understanding of the key barriers and challenges for change, in oral discussion and in written assignments.
• gather and evaluate information relevant to these issues.
• demonstrate improved skills with team-based collaborative learning.
Recommended Preparatory Course
本科目の受講にあたっては、TOEFL ITP 530点以上、TOEFL iBT 70点以上および同等以上の英語力が必要です。
Course Schedule
| Lecture/Instructor（When there are multiple instructors) | Theme |
|---|---|
| Keyword, References and Supplementary Information | |
| 1 | Course introduction |
Course Overview, Objectives, Expectations, and Grading Policy
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| 2 | Who eats what, where and why? |
Required readings:
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| 3 | Foods that Changed the World: Sugar 1 - "Sweetness and Power" |
Required reading and video:
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| 4 | Foods that Changed the World: Sugar 2 - "Traveling with Sugar" |
Required reading and podcast:
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| 5 | Foods that Changed the World: Sugar 3 - "Sugar in our Contemporary Society" |
Required reading and video (tbc):
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| 6 | Foods that Changed the World: Maize 1 - "We're Made of Corn" |
Required reading:
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| 7 | Foods that Changed the World: Maize 2 - "Marvelous Plant from the Americas" |
Required reading and video:
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| 8 | Synthesis Session on Maize: Does Maize "Feed the World"? |
Required reading:
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| 9 | Regenerative Agriculture |
Required reading:
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| 10 | Sustainable Farming and Resilient Future |
Does Sustainable Farming Pave the Way to a Thriving and Resilient Future? |
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| 11 | Transformations towards sustainable food systems |
Required reading:
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| 12 | Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems |
Required reading:
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| 13 | Alternative Food Networks: Community Supported Agriculture |
Required readings:
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| 14 | Alternative Food Networks: Teikei as a sustainable eating practice |
Required reading:
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| 15 | Reflecting on Our Food Journey: Paving the Way to a Sustainable Food Future |
Required readings: TBC |
Class Format
Recommendations for Private Study
- Assigned readings and videos will be either available at the library/online or posted on Manaba prior to the class.
- Additionally, students are required to prepare for discussion facilitation and complete take home final essays outside of regular class hours.
- All assignment deadlines will be strictly maintained, and no exceptions will be granted as a general rule. Hence, students are strongly advised to plan their work with consideration for potential unforeseen circumstances, such as internet connection issues or illness.
Grade Evaluation Method
| Kind | Percentage | Grading Criteria etc. |
|---|---|---|
| Final Examination (Written) | ||
| Report Examination (A report to be submitted by the unified deadline) |
||
| Exams and/or Reports other than those stated above, and Continuous Assessment (Evaluation of Everyday Performance in Class) |
100 | - Attendance and active in-class participation 15% (*Four or more unexcusd absences will result in a failing grade for the course ("F" grade).
|
Grade Evaluation Method （Note）
- Attendance, punctuality, and active participation are mandatory for this course. "Active participation" includes in-class contributions, active involvement in discussions, pair or group work, and providing constructive questions and comments on classmates' presentations.
- Students accumulating four (4) or more unexcused absences will receive a failing grade ('F') for the course. In cases requiring special consideration, substitute assignments may be accepted upon prior communication with the instructor.
2. Pre-discussion responses: 55%
- Students are required to read the assigned materials and turn in pre-discussion responses before class. Detailed instructions will be provided during class sessions.
- All work must be submitted on Manaba R., no email submissions are accepted.
- All assignment deadlines will be strictly maintained, and no exceptions will be granted as a general rule. Hence, students are strongly advised to plan their work with consideration for potential unforeseen circumstances, such as internet connection issues or illness.
3. Discussion facilitation: 10%
- Students are required to facilitate a warm-up discussion as a team (2-3 students per group) or individually at least one session in the course.
4. Take home final essay: 20%
- Students will write a final essay (approx. 1,000 words, at least 750 words without exceeding 1,200 words) that draws on course readings and in-class discussions to identify and describe, with evidence drawn from the course materials, two key lessons that you learned from the course.
Advice to Students on Study and Research Methods
* Important class-related information will be communicated through ManabaR. Students are strongly recommended to check for updates regularly, and consider enabling reminder notifications for your effective preparation.
* The course schedule is subject to change.
Textbooks
Textbooks （Frequency of Use, Note）
Reference Books
| Title | Author | Publisher | ISBN Code | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Atlas of Food: Who Eats What, Where, and Why | Millstone, Erik, and Tim Lang | University of California Press | 978-0520276420 | 2013 |
| Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History | Mintz, Sidney W | Penguin Books | 978-0140092332 | 1986 |
| Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems | Gliessman, Stephen R. | CRC Press/Taylor & Francis Group | 978-1439895610 | 2013. Third edition. |
| Corn & Capitalism: How a Botanical Bastard Grew to Global Dominance | Warman, Arturo | University of North Carolina Press | 978-0807854372 | 2003 |
| Sharing the Harvest: A Citizen’s Guide to Community Supported Agriculture | Henderson, Elizabeth, and Robyn Van En | Chelsea Green Publishing. | 978-1933392103 | 2007. 2nd Edition. |
Reference Books （Frequency of Use, Note）
Web Pages for Reference
How to Communicate with the Instructor In and Out of Class(Including Instructor Contact Information)
Other Comments
URL:http://www.ritsumei.ac.jp//students/pathways-future/course/curriculum.html