FSEM 100Q7 | Stuffed and Starved: The Geography of the Global Food System

This course explores the geography of the global food system, examining food production and consumption models around the world and investigating the reasons why malnutrition persists. How would you describe the modern global food system? How is food distributed around the world, and what factors influence the consumption of certain foods? Even though we have more than enough food to feed everyone in the world, why do some people have too little and some too much? This course will investigate how the geography of food has shifted from local, small-scale agriculture, to a global industrial agricultural system and how that change has influenced diet and nutrition worldwide. We will also turn to more sustainable forms of food production and consumption and consider the ethics of food choices and food policy.

Photo of Caitie Finlayson, Associate Professor of Geography

Caitie Finlayson, Associate Professor of Geography

I am a broadly-trained human geographer specializing in cultural geography. My particular research area is the geography of religion, and I’m passionate about exploring the geographic context of religious beliefs and experiences. I teach classes on World Regional Geography, Human Geography, and an upper-level course specifically on Sacred Spaces. I also research how nature and humans interact, and teach a course called Environment and Society that explores that topic. I’ve conducted several research projects on the topic of the geography of religion, and am currently undertaking a project that explores how your memories influence your experience of religious spaces. I love working with undergraduate students, and am always excited to show students that geography encompasses so much more than just maps. I’m the first in my family to attend college and received a B.A. in Philosophy and Religious Studies from Winthrop University in Rock Hill, South Carolina and a Ph.D. in Geography from Florida State University. In my free time, I enjoy cooking, reading, and spending time with my two sons.