Module 3 Guided Reflection – Climate Change, Food Security, and Covid

Traditionally, reflections were recorded in a journal and submitted to the instructor on paper at the end of the course. However, since this is an online course, your reflections can be embedded within Canvas for me to read as we progress through this course. You may want to compose this offline and then cut and paste it in.

The questions below are only intended to guide you through your reflections, so you do not necessarily need to address these topics.  These are suggestions but I ask that you do stay on the course topics for your reflections.  You may pick one of the topics below and discuss it thoroughly or you may come up with your own questions pertaining to what we have learned in this module.

Challenge yourself to think critically about the above theories and concepts.  You may do your own research following the introduction to these (new?) concepts also.  These reflections are private and only to be read between you and me and will remain as such throughout the course.

I do not require a minimum or maximum word count as that is usually not required when sharing your inner-most thoughts about the various topics you will reflect upon.  I will leave that up to you.

Guided Reflection Theme:

Please choose one of the following questions to reflect upon.  As always, if you would like to reflect upon any other topics covered in this module, feel free to do so.  I welcome creative content. 

Based upon the theoretical frameworks proposed in Module One, food security, food sovereignty: Reflect upon the New York Times Article in this Module (3) and answer these questions:

1. Which food security narrative and theories (food security as defined by the United Nations or food security as defined by community, and local frameworks – think food sovereignty from Module One) does this NY Time article use to describe the global food supply? (Re-visit the four definitions of Food Security; United Nations Food Security; Indigenous Food Security; Indigenous Food Sovereignty; Community Food Security – the definitions and theoretical frameworks in order to answer this question).

2. What alternative narrative was proposed from the first lecturer in the first YouTube video in the “What is Climate Change – How does Climate Change Affect the Global Food Supply? and the second video in this set of five videos compared to the narrative in the New York Times Article – What is Climate Change? – What are the Future Impacts that Climate Change is Likely to Have on Global Food Security? On what basis are these three narratives different? Which narrative resonates with you and which do you personally identify with in your own food security practices?

3.  Looking at the Covid media material I presented in this module, please address some of the issues surrounding Covid and agriculture and its effects it has had on food security. This can be a socio-cultural, socio-economic, or environmental assessment.

4. What models of food production do you personally think can mitigate against food insecurity, climate change?

5.  From the Webinar Series where you were required to listen to Kent Mullinex’s lecture, please address one of the topics he presents.  If you went on to listen to the other two speakers please pose questions relating to their research.

1. Kent Mullinex– A social sciences response to climate change, food security, and Covid. Required
2. Kirsten Hannem – Climate change, Covid, water systems, and food security. (Optional)
3. Sean Smuckler – Farm-level resilience and Covid (Optional)

6.  Return to Michael Pollan’s YouTube video and reflect upon the use of petrochemical use in agriculture.  Please share your thoughts with me.