Middlebury's Foodprint:  Introduction to Food Systems Issues Food systems encompass all activities, people and institutions determining movement of food from input supply and production (on land and water) through waste management. The dominant U.S. food system is responsible at least in part for some of the nation’s most troubling environmental and health challenges. What do we eat at Middlebury? What difference does it make? How do we know?  We will examine impacts of how Middlebury sources and consumes its food, and disposes of food waste, as a lens to understand sustainable food systems and how they can be achieved.

Agroecology In this course students will learn about agroecology as a set of practices, a philosophy, and a social movement. Agroecology takes advantage of natural processes to the greatest extent possible, using biological inputs rather than purchased pesticides and fertilizers. In addition to having major benefits for poor farmers in developing countries, it is attracting increased attention as an alternative to industrialized agriculture in wealthy countries. The course will include field trips to farms, films, and discussion of readings. We will leave between noon and 12:30 for some of the field trips, so don’t register for a class immediately before.

Food Power & Justice Students in this course will learn to analyze power and justice in relation to the food system. We will explore cases in which groups of people are experiencing injustice in opportunities to make a living through food production or other food system activities, inequitable access to food and resources, inequitable health outcomes related to diet (e.g., diabetes, obesity), and silencing or lack of political participation. Students will investigate organizations of their choice that are working to remedy inequitable power relations in the food system, and will present their findings to the rest of the class.

Hunger, Food Security & Food Sovereignty Why have no countries—including the U.S.—been able to ensure universal food security, even though more than enough food is produced for everyone? To examine this question, we will analyze historical famines, the "food price crisis" of 2008, and debates about how to address hunger and food insecurity including calls for food sovereignty.  We will read Julian Cribb's The Coming Famine as well as other sources. Students will select international or domestic food security as their emphasis, and examine an organization trying to tackle hunger and food insecurity.  This course is open to juniors and seniors.

Grassroots Perspectives on Sustainable Development Whose sustainability is threatened now, and why does it matter? How do the Sustainable Development Goals adopted in 2015 perpetuate existing power asymmetries that hurt marginalized people and block systemic transformation? We will critique the rise of “sustainable development" and explore the emphases of sustainability science to assess whether it is addressing the needs of marginalized people. Then we will turn to the articulation of alternatives to neoliberalism from social movements and post-development advocates. Are alternatives arising that offer radically different and more sustainable patterns of production and consumption to meet life needs? The course involves critique of original scientific literature and reports and interactive discussion.

Food Policy Food policy is about how decisions are made in the food system, affecting who eats what, who grows food and how.  In this course, we will investigate important current topics in food policy, such as issues under consideration by the U.S. Congress (e,g., the Farm Bill, Child Nutrition Reauthorization); the United Nations; or other organizations.   Using a range of readings and academic background sources on food policy, students will debate contentious issues affected by policy (antibiotic resistance due to livestock feeding practices, incentives for healthy eating, limits on concentration in agribusiness, food safety rules, etc.).

Molly Anderson

Reviews and ratings for Molly Anderson at Middlebury College.Molly Anderson teaches Intro to Food Systems Issues, Agroecology, Food Power & Justice and more.  Explore top rated instructors and find the best for you.Is Molly Anderson good ? Find out on MiddCourses.

This class is really easy, although the spread of the assignments was a bit inconvenient. The major assignments journal, long paper, and presentation were all due around the same time. The professor was really accommodating though and an easy grader. 

Professor is very nice and willing to work around conflicts, although she tends to get political at times. Overall, class was easy but lectures/discussions were boring.  Midterm papers were take home and can be done without any class material.

Super relaxed and very chill lecture style course. She just talks the whole class and you don’t have to do any of the readings. There are take home midterms which are quite easy and overall this class was a gem.