Revisiting the Political-Economy of Food

Some of you may remember a post I wrote last summer that reviewed a handful of books written about the political, social, economic, ethical, and health issues surrounding the contemporary industrial food production system. I received a number of thoughtful responses to the post, which led me to believe that it is a topic many of you have an interest in. This, of course, makes sense, since many of you eat.

As such, I thought I'd share this Michael Pollan article from The New York Review of Books. It provides both a concise overview of the salient questions I discussed in my earlier post, and a useful review of some recently published books for those of you looking for summer reading.

Another book not mentioned but likely worth a read is The End of Overeating. (Disclaimer: I have not yet read this. It is, however, fast approaching the top of my reading list)

When reading these books, it is important to actively resist the fatalism that can come from studying entrenched structural problems. If you find yourself feeling discouraged, remember: "The revolution is not an apple that falls when it is ripe. You have to make it fall." -EG