Teaching an interdisciplinary course in sustainable food systems
Science and history meet in “a world that works”
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21720718 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David M Blodgett (Babson College, corresponding author), Marjorie N Feld (Babson College) |
| Year | 2023 |
| Volume | 24 |
| Issue | 9 |
| Pages | 138-158 |
| Publication date | 2023-12-18 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1467-6370 • E-ISSN: 1758-6739 |
| Publisher | Emerald (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1108/ijshe-02-2020-0044 |
| OpenAlex | W3123015568 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 6 |
| References cited | 19 |
Purpose The sustainability of the global food system hinges on its environmental resiliency and safety, including the health and well-being of its labor force. Single disciplinary courses in liberal arts or science often fail to highlight the overlap between environmental and social vulnerabilities that lead to food insecurity and diminish the sustainability of food systems. This paper aims to present the design and delivery of a successfully co-taught, interdisciplinary module on agricultural labor and sustainable food systems as a case study. Design/methodology/approach The authors designed a co-taught module in which they joined each other’s respective history and science class sessions at the undergraduate business college where they teach. Innovating the cross-disciplinary content of food security, immigration status, labor exploitation and pesticide exposure, they approached sustainability from the disciplinary perspectives of labor history and environmental science to show how these elements had both unique and overlapping impacts across food systems levels. Comparisons between pre- and post-module survey responses, alongside assessments of a co-authored exam question, measured the effectiveness of this module is changing students’ perspectives as food consumers and as citizens. Findings This module altered students’ understanding and perspectives around issues of food systems sustainability. Assessments indicated that students increased their awareness of agricultural workers at the front end of the food system, during production; students also gained awareness beyond consumption as they came to see the connections between workforce invisibility and ecosystem degradation. Originality/value These insights are valuable to educators at all institutional levels who seek to collaborate on sustainability initiatives and teaching, both in the singular, robust modules and in building modules that will lead to the development of entire courses focused on sustainability. The module described here builds on previous demonstrations of the value, significance and effectiveness of cross-disciplinary collaborations; it pioneers the use of the food system as the link between social and environmental sustainability education
Agriculture · Business · Curriculum · Discipline · Earth system science · Food security · Food systems · Originality · Pedagogy · Political science · Public relations · Social science · Sociology · Sustainability · Agriculture, Land Use, Rural Development · Organic Food and Agriculture · Sustainability in Higher Education · Ecology
Interdisciplinary module activities and employability
The Effect of Integrated and Discrete Course Designs in Fostering Interdisciplinary Thinking and Concept Application Among University Students
Faculty development program about the food–energy–water nexus
From youth engagement to policy insights
A systematic review of self-assessment scales on action competence in environmental and sustainability education
A seed towards a sustainable food system in healthcare institutions
Learning Our Way to Sustainability
Sustainability in higher education in the context of the UN Desd
Higher education in the sustainable development goals framework
Global food demand and the sustainable intensification of agriculture
Meat consumption, health, and the environment
What Are We Assessing When We Measure Food Security? A Compendium and Review of Current Metrics
Agricultural sustainability
Closing yield gaps through nutrient and water management
Food Security
Student food insecurity and the social equity pillar of campus sustainability
Gender equality, food security and the sustainable development goals
Teaching and learning sustainability
Sustainable development goal 2
Leverage points for sustainability transformation
| Citations per year | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2023 - 2026 (4) |
| Highly cited | No |