1. An overview of food politics. What is food politics? ; Is food politics driven by material interests or by social values? ; Is food politics a global or local phenomenon? ; Who are the most important actors in food politics? ; Has the politics of food and agriculture recently been changing? -- 2. Food production and population growth. Who was Thomas Malthus, and why did he see hunger as inevitable? ; Was Malthus ever influential? ; Are Malthusians still influential? ; Can we feed a growing population without doing irreversible damage to the environment? ; Is Africa facing an eco-Malthusian food crisis today? ; Do Malthusians try to reduce population growth? ; Do Malthusians argue that we should reduce food consumption? -- 3. The politics of high food prices. When did high food prices become a political issue? ; What caused these spikes in international food prices? ; How many people became hungry when prices spiked in 2007-2008? ; Do international food price spikes cause violent conflict? ; Have higher food prices triggered "land grabs" in Africa? ; Have subsidies and mandates for biofuels contributed to higher international food prices? ; Have higher international prices become a permanent feature of food politics? -- 4. The politics of chronic hunger and famine. How do we measure hunger? ; How many people around the world remain chronically undernourished? ; What causes chronic undernutrition? ; Does chronic hunger trigger political unrest? ; Is chronic undernutrition a problem in the United States? ; Do developing countries have policy remedies for chronic undernutrition? ; What is the difference between undernutrition and famine? ; When have famines taken place? ; What causes famines? ; What has been the most successful international response to famine? ; Can famine be prevented? -- 5. Food aid and agricultural development assistance. What is international food aid? ; Which countries get food aid? ; Do rich countries give food aid to dispose of their surplus production? ; Why are America's food aid policies so difficult to change? ; Does food aid create dependence or hurt farmers in recipient countries? ; Do governments seek coercive power from food aid? ; How is agricultural development assistance different from food aid? ; How much international assistance do rich countries provide for agricultural development? ; Which agencies operate United States agricultural development assistance? ; Who benefits from agricultural development assistance?

6. The green revolution controversy. What was the green revolution? ; Why is the green revolution controversial? ; Did the green revolution end hunger? ; Did the green revolution lead to greater rural inequality? ; Was the green revolution bad for the environment? ; Why did the original green revolution not reach Africa? ; What farming approaches do green revolution critics favor? ; How have green revolution critics shaped international policy? -- 7. The politics of obesity. Is the world facing an obesity crisis? ; How do we measure obesity? ; What are the consequences of the obesity epidemic? ; What is the cause of today's obesity epidemic? ; Does cheap food cause obesity? ; Do fast foods and junk foods cause obesity? ; Is the food industry to blame for the way we eat? ; Do "food deserts" cause obesity? ; What government actions are being taken to reverse the obesity crisis? ; Who lobbies for and against stronger policies on obesity? -- 8. The politics of farm subsidies and trade. Do all governments give subsidies to farmers? ; What explains the tendency of all rich countries to subsidize farm income? ; Do farmers in rich countries need subsidies to survive? ; Why are farm subsidies hard to cut? ; What is the "farm bill" and what is the "farm lobby"? ; Is the use of corn for ethanol a subsidy to farmers? ; What is the value of promoting corn-based ethanol in the United States? ; How do farm subsidies shape international agricultural trade? ; Has the WTO been able to discipline farm subsidies? ; Do trade agreements like NAFTA hurt farmers in countries like Mexico? -- 9. Farming, the environment, climate change, and water. Does agriculture always damage the environment? ; What kind of farming is environmentally sustainable? ; What is low-impact or "precision" farming? ; Do fragile lands, population growth, and poverty make farming unsustainable? ; Do cash crops and export crops cause environmental damage in agriculture? ; How will climate change affect food production? ; Does agriculture contribute to climate change? ; Is the world running out of water to irrigate crops? -- 10. Livestock, meat, and fish. What can be done to improve water management in farming? ; How are farm animals different from crops? ; Is meat consumption increasing, or not? ; Is a vegetarian diet healthier? ; If people in rich countries ate less meat, would hunger be reduced in poor countries? ; Wat are CAFOs? ; Are CAFOs bad for animal welfare? ; What else generates opposition to CAFOs? ; How important are fish as a source of food? ; Are wild fisheries collapsing? ; Is fish farming a solution?

11. Agribusiness, supermarkets, and fast food. What does the word "agribusiness" mean? ; Why is agribusiness controversial? ; Do agribusiness firms control farmers? ; Do food companies and supermarkets control consumers? ; Are supermarkets spreading into developing countries? ; Is Wal-Mart taking over food retailing in Africa and India? ; Are fast food restaurant chains spreading unhealthy eating habits worldwide? -- 12. Organic local food. What is organic food? ; What is the history of organic food? ; How is organic food regulated in the United States? ; Is most organic food grown on small farms? ; Is organic food more nutritious and safe? ; Is organic farming better for the environment? ; Could today's world be fed with organically grown food? ; What is the local food movement? ; What explains the growing market for local food? ; What is urban agriculture? ; Does local food help slow climate change? ; What explains the loyalty of some groups to organic, local, or slow food? -- 13. Food safety and genetically engineered foods. How safe is America's food supply? ; How do foods become contaminated? ; Who regulates food contamination in the United States? ; Is food safety an issue in international trade? ; Does the industrialization of agriculture make food less safe? ; Is irradiated food safe? ; What is genetically modified food? ; How are genetically engineered foods regulated? ; How widespread are genetically engineered foods? ; Why do some people resist GMOs? ; Do genetically engineered crops strengthen corporate control? ; Are GMO foods and crops safe? ; Could genetically engineered crops provide benefits to small farmers in developing countries? -- 14. Who governs the world food system. Is there a single world food system? ; How do national governments exercise control? ; Which are the most important international organizations in the food and farming sector? ; What has limited the influence of international organizations? ; Do multinational corporations control the world food system? ; How much power do non-governmental organizations have? ; What is the role of private foundations? -- 15. The future of food politics. In the future, will obesity continue to replace hunger as the world's most serious food problem? ; In the future, will food and farming systems become more localized or more globalized? ; In the future, will the spread of affluent eating habits destroy the natural environment? ; In the future, will the politics of food remain contentious?