The Politics of Food: Eating Your Way to a Better World Haley Braner

In today's food-centric culture, different cuisines give communities and regions distinct identities, from the wine and brie of France to the beignets and Chicory coffee of New Orleans. Yet for all the conversations we have over food, we rarely talk about the unavoidable political consequences of the foods we choose to eat.

My Paideia would try to change that. I would offer a cooking class focused on using sustainable ingredients as a way to open up conversations about ethical eating. While most diet discussions center on ways to improve individual health, ethical eating is all about improving the health of one’s community, and ultimately, the planet.Food production is a global industry that implicates countless people, most of the world’s animals, and a host of economic, political, and social interests.

From cultivation to consumption, food justice is about ensuring that the process is ethical. People think of food justice advocates primarily as animal rights advocates but the movement is about much more than that. It is about protecting the rights of all beings involved in the food industry, the animals, yes, but also the farmers and laborers, who are often subject to labor and human rights abuses. It is about reversing the...