Course Title: Feeding the World: Contemporary Issues in the Global Production and Consumption of Food
Part A: Course Overview
Course Title: Feeding the World: Contemporary Issues in the Global Production and Consumption of Food
Credit Points: 12.00
Terms
Course Code |
Campus |
Career |
School |
Learning Mode |
Teaching Period(s) |
HUSO2315 |
City Campus |
Undergraduate |
365H Global, Urban and Social Studies |
Face-to-Face |
Sem 2 2011, Sem 2 2013 |
Course Coordinator: Associate Professor Aiden Warren
Course Coordinator Phone: +61 3 9925 3758
Course Coordinator Email: aiden.warren@rmit.edu.au
Course Coordinator Availability: By appointment
Pre-requisite Courses and Assumed Knowledge and Capabilities
None
Course Description
In this course you will explore the global food system with a focus on food security. In particular the changing shift in patterns of food production and consumption will be addressed and their associated impact on communities. Emphasis will be placed on the shift out of traditional food regimes to modern industrial systems and the role of transnational corporations in the increasing commercialisation of global food systems. You will investigate processes of consumption characterised by immense contradictions of widespread hunger and malnutrition alongside of lifestyles of over-consumption and waste. You will examine the environmental implications of the global food system along with the social, cultural and economic impact of these transitions, and the local-global interconnections of food security into the future
Objectives/Learning Outcomes/Capability Development
Course Learning Outcomes
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
- identify significant threats to food security on a global scale;
- evaluate critically the processes which lead to specific outcomes in food consumption patterns;
- analyse and describe the social, political and environmental implications of the global food system, and
- evaluate various alternative strategies proposed to avoid food crises into the future, and propose additional solutions
Overview of Learning Activities
Learning activities will include lectures, guest speakers, the presentation of audio-visual materials, and interactive tutorial activities including group based discussion and problem solving tasks. You will be expected to actively contribute to the construction of a supportive learning environment. Participation in discussions and activities, and engagement with the weekly reading materials is expected.
Overview of Learning Resources
RMIT will provide you with resources and tools for learning in this course through our online systems.
You will be given access to a wide range of resources through a Course Reader or core textbook and also will be able to access a wide range of online learning tools and content for your course from via Canvas, and RMIT Library resources. These resources will include book chapters, journal articles, media articles, lecture notes, bibliographies for supplementary reading, video, and links to external websites. You will have the opportunity to contribute collectively to class resources by sharing your own research findings and sources with your peers.
There are services available to support your learning through the University Library. The Library provides guides on academic referencing and subject specialist help as well as a range of study support services. For further information, please visit the Library page on the RMIT University website and the Canvas student portal.
Overview of Assessment
You will be assessed on how well you meet the course’s learning outcomes and on your development against the program learning outcomes.
Assessment Tasks
Assessment Task 1 – Tutorial participation (15%) -2500 words
CLO1, CLO2, CLO3
Assessment Task 2: Major Research Essay (45%) - 1500 words
CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, CLO4
Assessment Task 3: Policy Briefing Papers (40%) CLO1, CLO2, CLO3, CLO4
Feedback will be given on all assessment tasks.
If you have a long term medical condition and/or disability it may be possible to negotiate to vary aspects of the learning or assessment methods. You can contact the program coordinator or Equitable Learning Services if you would like to find out more.
Your course assessment conforms to RMIT assessment principles, regulations, policies, procedures and instructions.