This 15-week course seeks to provide students with both conceptual and practical content, covering the evolution of agroecology, from its origins to the present, as it gains increasing recognition in scientific, policy, social movement and farming spaces. We will explore some of the debates around application, the risks of cooptation, and agroecology’s potential for moving us closer to full transformation of our current food systems. Through examples of agroecology in practice, the design of thriving farming-systems, cultural and political dynamics related to agroecology and more, this course will facilitate a solid foundational understanding from which to pursue agroecology as researchers, activists, policy-makers and/or practitioners..
COURSE DAYS & TIMES:
- Fall 2024 Semester: August 26 – December 6
- Meets online. Days/times TBD.
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Apply systems theory to consider agroecosystem and food system dynamics across contexts
- Deconstruct the idea of a human/nature divide
- Explore the foundations of agroecology, honoring its roots in Indigenous and peasant knowledge traditions
- Compare various frameworks for agroecology as they relate to science, movement, practice, and policy
- Contextualize learning by connecting concepts both to your own foodshed and the wider food system
- Engage in a community of learning where are each of us are creative, active contributors to the space
Students taking it as a non-credit course will receive a Digital Badge signifying completion of the course.