Course:FRE531/Syllabus
COURSE INFORMATION
Instructor: Professor Matias E. Margulis
Contact details email: matias.margulis@ubc.ca phone: 604-822-5783
Course Date/Time and Location: Fridays 9AM-12PM in MacMillan 154
Office Location Liu Institute for Global Issues 213
Office Hours: Fridays 4-5 by Zoom (sign-up on Canvas)
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/62323749365?pwd=S0NhN0dDZWxwWHROWTBJRjNkdkJVQT09
Meeting ID: 623 2374 9365
Passcode: 926698
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Students taking this course will develop a better understanding of the role of governments, business, civil society and international institutions in global food and resource policy-making. The course is organized around the examination of real-world controversies in global food and resource governance – such as, but not limited, to global food crises, large-scale land acquisitions, and the agriculture negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO). We will use these cases as the basis to explore how an issue or problem comes to be placed on the international policy agenda, which actors get to participate in the policy-making process, and why global policy-making efforts succeed or fail. Students who complete this course will develop substantive knowledge of global policy-making on food and resource issues and be able to assess the efficacy, fairness and legitimacy of, and possible alternatives to, current global policies and governance arrangements.
BIOGRAPHICAL STATEMENT
Matias E. Margulis is Associate Professor in the School of Public Policy and Global Affairs and Faculty of Land and Food Systems. His research and teaching interests are in global food security, international trade and development. In addition to his academic research, Dr. Margulis has extensive professional experience in the field of international policymaking and is a former Canadian representative to the WTO, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). He has also advised the UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food and the Scottish Parliament and consulted for international NGOs and the Brookings Institution.
COURSE STRUCTURE
6 interactive discussion-based seminars of approximately 3 hours each, once a week for 6 weeks (see weekly topics for the details). We will normally have two short breaks during the 3-hour block. Most weeks will start with a short introductory lecture by the instructor to contextualize the week’s topic and readings and to highlight key concepts. This will be followed by student-led discussion and in-class learning activities.
In light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this course is designed to provide maximum flexibility, so that you can protect your health and wellbeing and still succeed. If you are sick or have COVID-19 symptoms, you are welcome to participate via Zoom (the link is provided below). You may participate in a maximum of two classes via Zoom.
If possible, please bring headphones and a laptop or other device you can use to connect to Zoom to our in-person class meetings. These will occasionally be used for small group activities.
Zoom Link for Class Meetings:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://ubc.zoom.us/j/63833740531?pwd=dHB4TWtWY1JmeEhkWU1YWEEyQ1NiQT09
Meeting ID: 638 3374 0531
Passcode: 224769
If you have COVID-19 symptoms, or have recently been exposed to someone with COVID-19, it is essential that you stay home to avoid putting others at risk. COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Fever
- Cough
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Loss of sense of smell or taste
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Muscle aches
- Chills
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Chest pain
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Pink eye (conjunctivitis)
- Rash
If I (the instructor) am ill or have COVID-19 symptoms: If I am ill or have COVID-19 symptoms, I will not come to class. Instead, class will be take place entirely via Zoom, and I will make every reasonable attempt to communicate this to you as soon as possible (via an announcement on Canvas that you will receive directly in your email). Our classroom will still be available for you to sit in and participate via Zoom. If I am too ill to conduct class, class will be canceled and I will communicate this to you as early as possible via Canvas/email.
Zoom protocol:
- Please use earphones (if possible) to reduce noise.
- Mute your microphone when not speaking.
- Use the “raise hand” function to speak up.
- This is a discussion-based course that is designed to be highly interactive. Wherever possible, please try to keep your video on to facilitate engagement and participation.
- Please avoid using the “chat” function during class discussions. Since this is a discussion-based course, centred on interaction among participants, we all need to be focused on the person speaking. Interruptions from the chat box disrupt concentration and impede the quality and flow of discussion.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
By the end of this course, student will be able to:
- Demonstrate an advanced understanding of the role of public, private and hybrid institutions active in regulating the food and resources sector;
- Identify and assess the preferences of different stakeholders and their capabilities to influence the global food and resources policy;
- Appraise the effectiveness and equity of global policies and regulations designed to respond food and resource problems;
- Analyse and integrate various forms of evidence and data to assess complex global food and resource problems and policies;
- Apply knowledge, skills and understanding in planning and executing research on contemporary problem in global food and resource governance.
LEARNING ACTIVITIES
This course utilizes a variety of learning activities, including required readings and audiovisual materials; participation in class and group-based discussion; short lectures; in-class research activities; desk-based research; and written analysis.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Your grade shall be determined as follows
| Assessment | Due Date | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Research activity #1 | Week 3 | 35% |
| Research activity #2 | Week 4 | 25% |
| Short research paper | Week 6 | 25% |
| Class participation | during Week 2-6 | 15% |
| TOTAL | 100% |
Research Activity #1
Students will produce a trade profile of a WTO member state. The profile is intended to support the student’s preparation for a partial simulation of a WTO negotiation in week 3. Students will be randomly assigned a country by the instructor in Week 1. Detailed instructions and a template will be posted on Canvas.
Research Activity #2
Student will evaluate the key principles, criteria and decision-making process of a major food or resource sustainably standard. Students will be assigned one scheme by the instructor. Detailed instructions and a template will be posted on Canvas. Research PaperStudents will undertake a research paper on a major issue in global food and resource governance. The purpose of the research paper is for students to communicate to others what they have learned and to integrate and apply the knowledge gained throughout the course. A list of research paper topics will be provided in week 2. Students may also propose an alternative research paper topic for approval by the instructor no later than week 3.
Course policy on late submissions
Late papers will have 5% of total marks for the assignment deducted for each day/partial day (including weekend days) beyond the due time.
Seminar Participation
This is your opportunity to demonstrate you have read the material and to participate constructively in seminar discussions. Seminar participation may also include being asked by the instructor to introduce a reading, answering discussion questions in person and online, undertaking additional in-class research and writing tasks, and other group work as determined by the instructor.
Tips on preparing for weekly seminars
Each week I will provide several discussion questions in advance to guide your readings and help you focus on the big picture. You should bring your notes on the readings, including preliminary responses to the discussion questions, each week with you to the seminar. This way, you will have comments and reflections already prepared to contribute to the class discussion (rather than having to rely on memory or feel pressure to come with an answer on the spot). I also encourage students to pose their own questions during the seminar discussions. There will be a also discussion board setup for each week for students to pose questions. Please make sure your questions are framed in a concise way and are intended to clarify or extend the core arguments in the week’s readings. If you have factual questions (such as the explanation of an acronym, a major historical event or about data) you should first search out the answer on your own and raise them with me only if you weren’t able to find an answer. Please pose any questions that you have on Canvas the night before the seminar.
How is my class participation evaluated?
Your performance will be indicated along the ‘strong-weak’ scale provided below. Your participation mark will be comprised of an average of these different components.
| Aspects of
performance |
Performance
Strong → Weak | |||
| Attendance and
preparation |
Student is always
present and prepared; shows clear evidence of reading; has considered discussion questions |
Student is rarely
absent or late and is usually prepared |
Student is often
late/absent or unprepared |
Student is
late/absent/unprepared most weeks |
| Level of
engagement in class (including group activities) |
Student regularly
contributes; listens to and constructively engages w/ others, including in group work; is well informed, coherent, clear and engaging; |
Student
contributes/ engages sometimes. |
Student rarely
engages/ contributes. |
Student never
contributes or constructively engages. |
COURSE SCHEDULE & READINGS
| Week | Topic |
| 1 | Introduction & current trends in global food security |
| 2 | Responding to global food crises |
| 3 | Negotiating agriculture trade reform at the WTO |
| 4 | Certifying agro-food supply chains |
| 5 | Governing large-scale farmland investments |
| 6 | Sustainable food consumption |
Each week there is a set of required and suggested further readings. Students are expected to cover all of the required materials each week as these will be the basis for seminar discussions. The suggested further readings are optional and intended for students who wish to explore the weekly topics in greater depth and/or master the material. The readings materials for each week are a mix of traditional academic journal articles, reports by international organizations and think tanks, and podcasts. All learning materials will be available online. You will find hyperlinks below to all readings. Please note your web browsers will need to be logged into the UBC library in order to access the academic journal articles.
A key professional (and life) skill to pick-up during your studies is how to read critically. Critical reading is different from criticism or reading only for facts and information. It is method to improve your understanding of how arguments are constructed and the use of evidence. Critical readings will enhance your comprehension of the materials and improve the quality of your won writing and analysis. If the terms “critical reading” or “active reading” are unfamiliar to you, I highly recommend you check out the following practical guide prepared by the Harvard University Library: https://guides.library.harvard.edu/sixreadinghabits You’ll find excellent tips on how preview, annotate and summarize readings
Week 1: Introduction & current trends in global food security
Required readings
BBC Business Daily (2023).Tackling the Global Food Crisis in 2023. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3ct30yd
Glauber, J. W., D. Laborde and A. Mamun (2023). From bad to worse: How Russia-Ukraine war-related export restrictions exacerbate global food insecurity. The Russia-Ukraine Conflict and Global Food Security. J. W. Glauber and D. Laborde. Washgington, DC, IFPRI: 92-96. Available at: https://www.ifpri.org/publication/russia-ukraine-conflict-and-global-food-security
Suggested further readings
FAO (2023). The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World. Rome: FAO. Available at:
https://www.fao.org/publications/home/fao-flagship-publications/the-state-of-food-security-andnutrition-in-the-world/en
Béné, C., Bakker, D., Chavarro, M. J., Even, B., Melo, J., & Sonneveld, A. (2021). Global assessment of the impacts of COVID-19 on food security. Global Food Security, 31, 100575, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2021.100575.
Lin, F., X. Li, N. Jia, F. Feng, H. Huang, J. Huang, S. Fan, P. Ciais and X.-P. Song (2023). "The impact of Russia-Ukraine conflict on global food security." Global Food Security 36: 100661. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100661
Group activity for week 1: Exploring the impacts of COVD-19 using the World Food Programme (WFP) Dataviz tool. This will be done during seminar time and instructions will be provided in-class.
Week 2: Responding to global food crises
Required readings
Planet Money podcast (2011). How Fear Turned A Surplus into Scarcity. Available at: https://www.npr.org/sections/money/2011/11/04/142016962/the-friday-podcast-how-fear-turneda-surplus-into-scarcity
Wise, T. A., & Murphy, S. (2012). Resolving the food crisis: assessing global policy reforms since 2007. *Read Part 1 & 2. Global Development and Environment Institute (GDAI). Available at: https://www.iatp.org/sites/default/files/2012_01_17_ResolvingFoodCrisis_SM_TW.pdf
Welsh, T. and S. Gold (2022). 'Don't panic': Lessons from the last global food crisis. Devex. Available at: https://www.devex.com/news/don-t-panic-lessons-from-the-last-global-food-crisis- 102937
Suggested further readings
Clapp, J. (2009). The Global Food Crisis and International Agricultural Policy: Which Way Forward? Global Governance: A Review of Multilateralism and International Organizations, 15(2), 299-312, https://doi.org/10.1163/19426720-01502010
Compton, J., Wiggins, S., & Keats, S. (2010). Impact of the global food crisis on the poor: what is the evidence? London: ODI. Available at: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.371.4699&rep=rep1&type=pdf
Cuesta, J., Htenas, A., & Tiwari, S. (2014). Monitoring global and national food price crises. Food Policy, 49, 84-94, doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2014.06.001
Horton, S. (2009). The 1974 and 2008 Food Price Crises. The global food crisis. LCERPA Economics Research Paper 2009-06. Available at: http://www.lcerpa.org/public/papers/LCERPA_2009-06.pdf
Institute of Development Studies (2018). Between the Lines Podcast Podcast: Food Riots Food Rights and the Politics of Provisions – Naomi Hossain & Patta Scott-Villiers. Available at: https://www.ids.ac.uk/events/podcast-ep-02-food-rights-food-riots-and-the-politics-of-provisionsnaomi-hossain-patta-scott-villiers/
Mittal, A. (2009). The 2008 Food Price Crisis: Rethinking food security policies (G-24 Discussion Paper Series). New York and Geneva: UN. Available at: https://www.g24.org/wpcontent/uploads/2016/01/56.pdf
Group activity for week 2: Comparing responses to the global food crisis – where are they now? *Students to complete individual work in in advance the seminar (instructions posted on Canvas).
Week 3: Negotiating agriculture trade reform at the WTO (*Please note this week class will likely go until 1PM or 1:30PM)
Required readings
WTO (2020) “WTO in brief,” available at: https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/inbrief_e/inbr_e.htm ; “Agriculture: fairer markets for farmers,” available at: https://www.wto.org/english/thewto_e/whatis_e/tif_e/agrm3_e.htm
Ungphakorn, P. (2020). The 20-year saga of the WTO agriculture negotiations. Available at: https://tradebetablog.wordpress.com/2020/03/23/20-year-wto-ag-negotiations/
Hopewell, K. (2019). US-China conflict in global trade governance: the new politics of agricultural subsidies at the WTO. Review of International Political Economy, 26(2), 207-231, https://doi.org/10.1080/09692290.2018.1560352
WTO (2022). DG Okonjo-Iweala urges update to WTO rules to address global food market challenges. Available at: https://www.wto.org/english/news_e/news22_e/agri_24oct22_e.htm
Suggested further readings
Murphy, S., & Hansen-Kuhn, K. (2020). The true costs of US agricultural dumping. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems, 35(4), 376-390, https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170519000097
Brink, L. (2009). WTO Constraints on Domestic Support in Agriculture: Past and Future. Canadian Journal of Agricultural Economics/Revue canadienne d'agroeconomie, 57(1), 1-21, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1744-7976.2008.01135.x
Clapp, J. (2006). WTO Agriculture negotiations: implications for the Global South. Third World Quarterly, 27(4), 563-577, https://doi.org/10.1080/01436590600720728
Group activity for week 3: You will apply the research you completed for Research Activity #1 in a partial simulation of a WTO negotiation session. Instructions will be provided during the seminar.
Week 4: Certifying agro-food supply chains
Required readings
E Cordoba, S. F., Onguglo, B., Hoekman, B., Schleifer, P., Fiorini, M., Fransen, L., et al. (2018).Voluntary Sustainability Standards, Trade and Sustainable Development: 3rd Flagship Report of the United Nations Forum on Sustainability Standards (UNFSS). *Read Chapter 1: Part I and II Available at: https://library.wur.nl/WebQuery/wurpubs/fulltext/469894
World Resources Institute Podcasts (2020). Certifying Sustainable Palm Oil with Andika Putraditama. Available at: https://www.wri.org/blog/2020/01/podcast-certifying-sustainable-palmoil-andika-putraditama
Blackstone, N. T., E. Rodríguez-Huerta, K. Battaglia, B. Jackson, E. Jackson, C. Benoit Norris and J. L. Decker Sparks (2023). "Forced labour risk is pervasive in the US land-based food supply." Nature Food 4(7): 596-606.
Suggested further readings
IISD and SSI (2019). Major trends and challenges in the production and consumption of agricultural commodities compliant with voluntary sustainability standards. Dec. 19. Available at: https://youtu.be/NOLxbLLY4Vg
Auld, G. (2010). Assessing Certification as Governance Effects and Broader Consequences for Coffee. The Journal of Environment & Development, 19(2), 215-241, https://doi.org/10.1177/1070496510368506
Brandi, C. A. (2017). Sustainability Standards and Sustainable Development – Synergies and Trade-Offs of Transnational Governance. Sustainable Development, 25(1), 25-34, doi:https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.1639.
Subramanian, Samanth. 2019. Is fair trade finished? The Guardian. July 23. Available at: https://www.theguardian.com/business/2019/jul/23/fairtrade-ethical-certification-supermarketssainsburys
Group activity for week 4: Comparing design and challenges of certification schemes. Instructions will be provided during the seminar.
Week 5: Governing large-scale farmland investments
Required readings
FAO (2020). Extraterritorial investments in agriculture in Africa: the perspectives of China and South Africa.*Read Part I and II. Available at: http://www.fao.org/3/cb1106en/cb1106en.pdf
FAO eLearning Academy.
1. “Introduction to the Responsible Governance of Tenure” *At minimum cover lessons 1 & 2 and anything else of interest. Available at: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=173
2. “Investing Responsibly in Agricultural Land” * Available at: https://elearning.fao.org/course/view.php?id=514 *Skim or complete for certification *Please note you will have to register a free account with the FAO eLearning Academy to access these online lessons.
Suggested further readings
Cotula, L (2020) "The future of land: commercial pressures and the case for systemic law reform to secure rural land rights", in Milton Obote Ochieng, C (ed.), Rethinking land reform in Africa: new ideas, opportunities and challenges, African Natural Resources Center, African Development Bank, Abidjan. Available at: https://pubs.iied.org/G04463/
Cotula, L., Vermeulen, S., Leonard, R., & Keeley, J. (2009). Land grab or development opportunity?: agricultural investment and international land deals in Africa. London: IIED/FAO/IFAD. Available at: https://pubs.iied.org/12561IIED/
Kapstein, E (2018). Governing the global land grab. Global Policy 9(2), 173-183., https://doi.org/10.1111/1758-5899.12543
International Land Coalition (2020). Uneven Ground. Available at: https://www.landcoalition.org/en/uneven-ground/report-and-papers/
Group activity for week 5: Identifying trends in large-scale farmland investments using the Land Matrix. Instructions will be provided during the seminar.
Week 6: Sustainable food consumption
Required readings
Fanzo, J. (2019). Healthy and Sustainable Diets and Food Systems: the Key to Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2? Food Ethics, 4(2), 159-174, https://doi.org/10.1007/s41055-019-00052-6
FAO. 2020. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World 2020: Transforming food systems for affordable healthy diets. *Read as follows: Foreword, Executive Summary, and your choice of one of sections 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 or 2.4. Available at: http://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/ca9692en
Financial Times (2020). Audio feature: how to eat sustainably. Available at: https://youtu.be/BUaTu781SBA
Further suggested readings
Reisch, L., Eberle, U., & Lorek, S. (2013). Sustainable food consumption: an overview of contemporary issues and policies. Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy, 9(2), https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2013.11908111
Willett, W., Rockström, J., Loken, B., Springmann, M., Lang, T., Vermeulen, S., et al. (2019).
Food in the Anthropocene: the EAT Lancet Commission on healthy diets from sustainable food systems. The Lancet, 393(10170), 447-492, https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)31788-4
Vermeir, I., Weijters, B., De Houwer, J., Geuens, M., Slabbinck, H., Spruyt, A., et al. (2020).
Environmentally Sustainable Food Consumption: A Review and Research Agenda from a GoalDirected Perspective. Frontiers in psychology, 11, 1603-1603, https://dx.doi.org/10.3389%2Ffpsyg.2020.01603
Baker, P., Hawkes, C., Wingrove, K., Demaio, A. R., Parkhurst, J., Thow, A. M., et al. (2018). What drives political commitment for nutrition? A review and framework synthesis to inform the United Nations Decade of Action on Nutrition. BMJ Global Health, 3(1), e000485, http://doi:10.1136/bmjgh-2017-000485
Thornton, P., Y. Chang, A. M. Loboguerrero and B. Campbell (2023). "Perspective: What might it cost to reconfigure food systems?" Global Food Security 36: 100669. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gfs.2022.100669
UNIVERSITY POLICIES
UBC provides resources to support student learning and to maintain healthy lifestyles but recognizes that sometimes crises arise and so there are additional resources to access including those for survivors of sexual violence. UBC values respect for the person and ideas of all members of the academic community. Harassment and discrimination are not tolerated nor is suppression of academic freedom. UBC provides appropriate accommodation for students with disabilities and for religious and cultural observances. UBC values academic honesty and students are expected to acknowledge the ideas generated by others and to uphold the highest academic standards in all of their actions. Details of the policies and how to access support are available here (https://senate.ubc.ca/policies-resources-support-student-success)
COURSE POLICIES
Plagiarism and Academic Dishonesty
Academic dishonesty and plagiarism are taken very seriously in the MFRE program. All incidences of plagiarism will be escalated to the MFRE Academic Director with penalties ranging from a mark of zero on the assignment, exam or course to being required to withdraw from the program. Note: If a student needs to extend his/her program due to a failed course or unsatisfactory progress, they will have to pay the full MFRE tuition fees for that term/s.
Academic misconduct that is subject to disciplinary measures includes, but is not limited, to the following:
- Plagiarism, which is intellectual theft, occurs where an individual submits or presents the oral or written work of another person as his or her own. In many UBC courses, you will be required to submit material in electronic form. The electronic material will be submitted to a service which UBC subscribes, called TurnItIn. This service checks textual material for originality. It is increasingly used in North American universities. For more information, review TurnItIn website online.
- Using Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT, Bard, or other Generative AI models to generate content or conduct analysis for evaluations, without proper citation and or if asked not to use AI, is considered plagiarism and academic misconduct. If students use AI in their submissions, they must cite the AI generator using citations consistent with the UBC Academic Honesty Standards.
- Cheating, which may include, but is not limited to falsification of any material subject to academic evaluation, unauthorized collaborative work; or use of unauthorized means to complete an examination.
- Working with Others on an Assignment: You are encouraged to work with other students, but you must turn in your own individual assignment. If you have an answer that is too close to another student’s answer, this will be considered academic dishonesty and this will be handled according to the MFRE and UBC policies.
- Resubmission of Material, submitting the same, or substantially the same, essay, presentation, or assignment more than once (whether the earlier submission was at this or another institution) unless prior approval has been obtained from the instructor(s) to whom the assignment is to be submitted.
- Use of academic ghostwriting services, including hiring of writing or research services and submitting papers or assignments as his or her own.
Student Responsibility: Students are responsible for informing themselves of the guidelines of acceptable and non‐acceptable conduct for examinations and graded assignments as presented via MFRE Code of Conduct; MFRE Turn it in, Course Syllabus, MFRE Instructors; Canvas and UBC academic misconduct policies.
Penalties for Academic Dishonesty: Penalties for academic dishonesty are applied at the discretion of the MFRE program. Incidences of academic misconduct may result in a mark of zero on the assignment, examination, or course, required withdrawal from the program, and/or the matter being is referred to UBC Graduate Studies.
COPYRIGHT
All materials of this course (course handouts, lecture slides, assessments, course readings, etc.) are the intellectual property of the instructor or licensed to be used in this course by the copyright owner. Redistribution of these materials by any means without permission of the copyright holder(s) constitutes a breach of copyright and may lead to academic discipline and could be subject to legal action. Further, audio or video recording of classes are not permitted without the prior consent of the instructor.