Food in Society

Food is now a massive international undertaking, and this new textbook provides a broad introduction, encompassing economics, cultural studies, and geography. It can be used in a wide range of courses, from economics to food science to political science and postmodern studies of cultural attitudes. The first part of the book focuses on the political economy of food and traces the supply chain from production to point of sale. It highlights the increasing impact of capitalism on each stage of the process. The second part examines global issues in supply and demand, including famine, world patterns of food aid, and the related geopolitics. The third part is devoted to political ecology and the environmental issues related to food production and consumption. It describes in detail two of the most contentious recent issues, Mad Cow Disease and genetically modified foods. The final section provides a survey of food consumption around the world, including taste preferences, food habits, beliefs, and taboos.