Hi Everyone, Apologies for the shameless self-promotion. Just letting GEP-ed list readers know about the release of my new book, Food (Polity Press -Resources Series, 2012). Link here where exam copies can be ordered: http://www.polity.co.uk/book.asp?ref=9780745649351 Best, Jennifer [http://www.blackwellpublishing.com/content/BPL_Images/Content_Store/Middle_Sized/Clapp9780745649351/Resources-Food-HiRes.jpg] Description Food is one of the most basic resources that humans need for daily survival. Forty percent of the world's population gains a livelihood from agriculture and we all consume food. Yet control over this fundamental resource is concentrated in relatively few hands. The 2008 food price crisis illustrated both the volatility and vulnerability built into the current global food system; at the height of the crisis, the number of hungry people on the planet climbed to over 1 billion. At the same time, there are serious ecological consequences that stem from an increasingly industrial model of agriculture that has spread worldwide.
This book aims to contribute to a fuller understanding of the forces that influence and shape the current global food system. Author Jennifer Clapp explores how corporate control, inequitable international agricultural trade rules, and the financialization of farm commodities have each had a fundamental influence on the practices that dominate today's global food system. By contrast, farmers and consumers, particularly in the developing world, have had little voice to change the rules of the game. But movements are emerging to challenge the dominant global system. The extent to which these alternative movements can displace it, however, remains to be seen Reviews "In this admirably clear exposition Clapp explains the increasing 'financialisation' of and speculation in food commodities, which contributed, she suggests, to the price volatility that led to food riots in 2008. Will sub-prime eaters be blamed for some future market crash? It makes you think twice about a second breakfast." The Guardian "A sharp, concise and satisfyingly detailed field-guide to the hegemons of the world food economy." Raj Patel, author of The Value of Nothing "Jennifer Clapp explains what happens when food is no longer considered a mere source of nourishment or cultural element but is transformed into a fungible commodity. Clapp unpacks and clarifies the mind-numbing complexities of transnational corporations, international trade, and financial markets. Best of all, the book provides precisely the information and tools advocates need to redesign the global food economy to promote fair trade, food justice, and food sovereignty." Marion Nestle, New York University "This excellent book explains why food has become a hot political issue on the global stage. The author clearly knows her subject and offers an insightful, engaging, and highly accessible introduction to the global food economy." Robert Falkner, London School of Economics and Political Science
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