Availabilities:
Not currently available in 2021
Unit description
Provides a sociological and ecological outlook of the food system in examining the what, the why and how we eat. It examines the interconnections between food production, its consumption and food sustainability, through sociocultural, economic, technological and environmental perspectives. A range of issues related to the current food system, its potential to impact human health, and the future of food are critically explored.
Unit content
What's on the Menu
- Why study food ecology through a ‘food systems’ landscape?
- What, why and how we eat: Historical influences
- What, why and how we eat: Sociological influences
- The food system: Introduction and contemporary challenges
- From paddock to plate and beyond: The business of food
- The future of food: Alternative solutions to contemporary mainstream practices
- Industrialisation of food: Transformations of the food supply
- Industrialisation of food: Transition to a third food regime
- The food system and its influence on consumption and human and environmental health
- How to conduct a literature search and be a critical reader
Learning outcomes
Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.
| On completion of this unit, students should be able to: | |
|---|---|
| 1 | describe the historical relationship between the food system, from the Hunter-gatherers to modern day, and the evolution of the human food supply |
| 2 | explain personal, sociological (e.g. sociocultural, political, economic, philosophical) and environmental factors that influence food consumption, diet and lifestyle |
| 3 | describe the food system in terms of its complexity, sustainability and the contemporary challenges it faces |
| 4 | discuss the relationship between food production, its distribution and supply, and the environmental, technological, economic, political and sociological landscapes |
| 5 | discuss how aspects of the food system (e.g. food processing, retailing, mass media, food policy) have the potential to influence food consumption and human health |
| 6 | discuss the future of food in the context of the food system |
| 7 | conduct a search of credible information sources, and to critically interpret, synthesise and communicate this information in writing |
On completion of this unit, students should be able to:
- describe the historical relationship between the food system, from the Hunter-gatherers to modern day, and the evolution of the human food supply
- explain personal, sociological (e.g. sociocultural, political, economic, philosophical) and environmental factors that influence food consumption, diet and lifestyle
- describe the food system in terms of its complexity, sustainability and the contemporary challenges it faces
- discuss the relationship between food production, its distribution and supply, and the environmental, technological, economic, political and sociological landscapes
- discuss how aspects of the food system (e.g. food processing, retailing, mass media, food policy) have the potential to influence food consumption and human health
- discuss the future of food in the context of the food system
- conduct a search of credible information sources, and to critically interpret, synthesise and communicate this information in writing
Teaching and assessment
Fee information
Domestic
Commonwealth Supported courses
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Fee paying courses
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International
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