ENVS 208 American Agriculture: Past, Present, Progress

Over the last century, we have experienced a growing disconnect from our food and farming system in the United States. Many people in modern America don’t see agriculture’s relevance in their daily lives. Many people think farming doesn’t affect them. But it does, often in profound ways. In addition to producing the food and fiber we rely on, agriculture has major environmental, social, economic, and even spiritual impacts. In other words, farming influences the literal and figurative landscapes of our lives—and it’s well worth understanding the ideas, people, and places that have shaped our agricultural system. It’s also worth envisioning a more sustainable, regenerative, and equitable future for American agriculture and food systems, which creates a better world for all of us. This course can help us do that. Throughout the semester, we will engage with important voices in agricultural thought and trace the evolution of agrarianism throughout U.S. history, aiming to understand how our current agricultural system—with its myriad successes, failures, and opportunities—has come to be. Given its roots in the ENVS Program, the course will especially focus on themes related to sustainability and justice, striving to imagine an “authentic agrarianism” that grounds, respects, and empowers rather than one that dominates and exploits. Whether we live on farms or in small towns, suburbs, or a major city like Memphis, we should think about the impact of agriculture on our lives, communities, and planet—and develop the skills, vocabulary, and strategies needed to demand that live up to its potential.