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Academics
- Explore Italian culture through food.
- Study concepts of sustainability and the environmental impact of food production.
- Discover how the food systems of Italy have maintained their unique character of high quality and sustainability.
Academic Structure
Program Type: Sustainable Food Systems of Italy is a Global Seminar. Global Seminars are short-term study abroad programs led by University of Minnesota faculty. Instruction is in English.
Level: 3000 level coursework.
Term: May 2010.
Prerequisites: None.
Courseload: One 3-credit course.
Coursework
Italy, Europe's largest organic food producer, has been able to produce some of the worlds most prized foods and do so sustainably for centuries. This course will introduce students to the Italian food system and how it has evolved while maintaining its unique culture of rationality, high quality and sustainability even in this modern age of globalization and homogenization.
Through this course students will:
- understand concepts of sustainability and ethical debate as applied to food systems and their
role in contemporary society - understand the historical development, function and current practice of a selected number of
Italian sustainable food systems - become familiar with a globally important Italian food system along with its sustainable production philosophies, ecological and socioeconomic characteristics
These concepts will come to life through first-hand experiences which will ‘educate’ students about ecological and public ethics concerns involving sustainable food production. Students will then connect their personal experiences with local and global issues of importance.
After arriving in Florence, there will be a welcome reception and a guided tour of the San Lorenzo Fresh Food Market. Instruction will consist of classroom discussions, group projects, site visits and excursions.
Student groups will be responsible for class discussions and will present project research to the class. Students will keep daily journals and groups will develop a final term paper based on their research, excursions, and experiences during their three weeks in Italy.
For more information see the previous course syllabus.
Approved for the International Perspectives and Citizenship and Public Ethics themes.
View the Global Seminar Liberal Education Requirements chart.
Faculty Leader
Sustainable Food Systems of Italy
will be lead by Professor Mike White of the College of Food, Agriculture
and Natural Resource Sciences. Professor White is a Morse-Alumni
Distinguished Teaching Professor and has been a faculty member at
the University sine 1992.
Professor White has traveled to Tuscany, Sicily and to Morocco to explore their food and wine systems. Because of his mother’s Sicilian background, he has a long-standing interest in aspects of the Italian wine and food culture. Professor White led a similar program in 2008.
Last modified on September 3, 2009 |