AGRICULTURE & FOOD

Is there a specific wisdom associated with agriculture? The complex questions of agrarianism : Is rural society superior to urban society? Is the independent farmer superior to paid worker? Can farming shape the ideal social vales? Do we acquire virtues through the contact with nature? What is the ideology of agrarian parties throughout the world?

Are agricultural systems natural? Asset versus Location Theory What is the Slow Food movement? The history of thinking on agriculture, from A.Leopold, V.Shiva to B. Kingsolver and W.Berry. The Libertarian Model from Hospers to G.Harden. How can agriculture integrate three main goals at the same time :-environmental health, economic profitability, and social and economic equity?

Recent changes (food and fiber productivity soared due to new technologies, mechanization, increased chemical use, specialization and government policies that favored maximizing production) and their positive effects and significant costs (topsoil depletion, groundwater contamination, the decline of family farms, continued neglect of the living and working conditions for farm laborers, increasing costs of production, the disintegration of economic and social conditions in rural communities). How can we achieve the best stewardship of both natural and human resources?

History: from use of power machines in the 20th century, new chemical and biological applications to full electification, application of computer science, new sensor systems, GPS technologies, and the introduction of crops with enhanced traits introduced through genetic engineering. Does sustainable agriculture requires not only the input of researchers from various disciplines, but also the contributions of farmers, farm workers, consumers, policymakers?

What steps should be taken to develop drought-resistant farming systems even in “normal” years? The old techniques and the case of African farmers. What are the consequences of the conversion of wild habitat to agricultural land? Modern agriculture as heavily dependent on non-renewable energy sources. Can the continued use of these energy sources be sustained indefinitely?

Enhancements of pre-modern agriculture, methods of farming (what is organic? no synthetic fertilizers / no synthetic pesticides / no genetically engineered crops). In which ways agricultural activities affect air quality? Impact of the various agricultural practices on people / domesticated and farm animals / the natural environment. Why Soil erosion continues to be a serious threat to our continued ability to produce adequate food?

Water: Dilemmas about Irrigation and Desertification. What strategies and approaches are necessary to create a more sustainable food system? Land: sustainability / the Green Revolution and its aftermath. Are the conditions of agricultural labor generally far below accepted social standards and legal protections in other forms of employment?

Air: Ozone Depletion and Methyl Bromide. How is it possible to find strategies that broaden consumer perspectives, so that environmental quality, resource use, and social equity issues are also considered in shopping decisions? Life: Plant Biotechnology / Bio-control of Pests and Organic agriculture / Animals in Agriculture.

Choice and value of food. Beyond value-for-money in a “food-plenty” world. Is there convincing evidence of health benefits from consuming organic food? Food poisoning and safety scares. Is there convincing evidence of any new risk to human health from any of the GM varieties of foods?

Obesity, longevity and general health. Is there ethical justification for using public resources / authority to promote an organic alternative to modern conventional farming? Expansion of interest in local, organic, “ethically”-produced foods, and the pressures on food businesses.

Why is it a crime to impose stress on domesticated companion animals? Why all agriculture is damaging to the natural environment. Is there a risk-free food chain? Are nutritionists always reliable? Do we know what is in our food? Food and the importance of parental education.

The sociologist’s human omnivore paradox. History of raw and cooked food. Food-related risks then and know. Processes and power of the food technology. On synthetic additives. The “traffic-light” labelling scheme of the Food Standards Agency.