Course Description

Industrial agriculture continues to dominate global food production, often at the cost of environmental health, biodiversity, and social justice. This course will offer a critical examination of alternative food systems that seek to address these challenges by integrating ecological principles into agriculture. Rooted in the belief that growing food is not just a technical exercise but an ethical, ecological, and social act, this course will explore the ways the field of agroecology seeks to reshape how we interact with the land, other organisms, one another, and institutions.

We will begin by investigating the scientific underpinnings of agroecology, including soil health, biotic interactions, and resilience. We will also consider how these scientific principles underlie agroecological management in practice.  Students will have an opportunity to apply these skills in growing crops and designing their own agroecological system.

Finally, using Wendell Berry's The Unsettling of America as a foundational text, students will examine the sociocultural and ecological consequences of industrial agriculture, as well as Berry’s advocacy for alternative models of agriculture that promote local economies, ecological stewardship, and the dignity of rural communities. This will provide a springboard to dive into the politics of food production, examining the dynamics of power and control in the global food system. This section of the course will explore the differences between corporate-driven industrial agriculture and community-led agricultural models, highlighting the social and environmental impacts of each. Special attention will be given to how traditional agroecology can serve as a form of resistance against systems of exploitation and degradation.  As part of a final class project, we will collaborate to help propose an urban food system design for Albuquerque’s 6^th District.

Students will engage with scholarly literature, field visits to gardens and farms throughout the Albuquerque area, and discussions to gain a deeper understanding of how agroecology can be a pathway to creating a more just, sustainable, and resilient food system. Through this exploration, students will develop the interdisciplinary tools needed to critically evaluate agricultural systems, and understand how ecological and cultural knowledge can shape the future of food production.

Texts

• Berry, Wendell. (2015). The Unsettling of America. Counterpoint Press.
• Additional peer-reviewed articles will be uploaded to Canvas.

Requirements

Students will be expected to read several excerpts from the peer-reviewed and popular literature; participate in discussions and activities with their peers; write reflection essays that demonstrate their engagement with the materials; and attend several field trips in the Albuquerque area, which will involve physical activity in exposed and varied conditions.

About the Instructor(s): Tomasz Falkowski