121-101 Famine in the Modern World

Credit Points

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Semester

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Subject Description

Food supply, malnutrition and famine. This subject is centrally concerned to evaluate empirically two contrasting theories of famine. The first (Mathusian) theory argues that famine is a matter of the balance of population and environmental resources. Evidence is drawn together about demography and from environmental change and degradation, climatic fluctuations, soil degradation, salinity and desertification and the environmental impact of the green revolution. The second (political economy) theory argues that famine is a matter of the distribution of food. Evidence is drawn together about class and gender characteristics of access to food within societies and about differential access between societies, involving the implications of agribusiness and the global food trade. The subject concludes by examining the extent to which aid and other solutions to the world food problem draw upon these theories.

Assessment

One 90-minute examination at the end of the semester; an essay of up to 2000 words; laboratory and seminar assignments. Weighting of assessment items will be announced at the beginning of the semester.