Global Politics of food take home exam
Each response should be up to 1500 words (max), and should refer to at least 6 course readings
or other course resources (including videos, reports posted to cuLearn or noted in the syllabus,
and lectures by guest speakers). Each response should take the form of a mini-essay, with an
introduction that includes an overarching thesis statement and an outline of your response.
Notes: It is acceptable to participate in group discussions as you prepare for the written
exam, but your exam must be written by you alone. As with an essay, sources cited must be
properly referenced (APA or Chicago style).
1) What does it mean to adopt a political-economy approach to analyzing food systems? How
have some of the authors you’ve read employed a political economy analysis? How are their
approaches similar or different? What does their work reveal about the dynamics of food
systems? What does political economy analysis bring to debates about public policies?
In your response, provide reference to specific examples from one or two of the following
topics studied in this course: Food aid, the 2007-08 food price crisis, the regulations governing
global food trade and transnational corporations, the development and regulation of
Genetically-Modified Organisms (GMOs), social movement engagement in food issues.
2) What do you see as the key opportunities and challenges associated with developing a Food
Policy for Canada (FPC)? Why is Canada developing a FPC? What are some of the key
challenges this policy will seek to address? What are the jurisdictional and sectoral tensions
that need to be worked through in order to have a FPC that has an impact? Do you think an
effective FPC is possible? Why or why not?
In your analysis, draw on examples from one specific policy topic implicated in a FPC, explaining
why policy change on this topic might be needed, the role that a FPC could play, and the
challenges and/or opportunities presented in terms of politics, policy and programming.
Examples of policy topics include: dietary guidelines, Indigenous food systems, migrant
agricultural labour, policies affecting farmers (e.g. supply management, risk management
programs), biodiversity protection, climate change mitigation, a proposed national school food
program, etc.