Food Ethics
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
LV0115-10352 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for LV0115
Academic year 2024/2025
2024-10-02 - 2024-10-31
Academic year 2022/2023
2022-09-29 - 2022-10-31
Academic year 2021/2022
2021-09-30 - 2021-11-01
Academic year 2020/2021
2020-09-30 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2020/2021
2020-09-30 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2020/2021
2020-09-30 - 2020-11-01
Academic year 2019/2020
2019-10-02 - 2019-10-31
Academic year 2019/2020
2019-10-02 - 2019-10-31
Academic year 2019/2020
2019-10-02 - 2019-10-31
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
LV0115 Food Ethics, 7.5 Credits
LivmedelsetikSubjects
Food Science Animal Science Food science Animal scienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 7.5 | 0201 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
Knowledge equivalent to 120 credits on basic level.Objectives
The aim of the course is that students, independent of previous competence, improve their ethical skills, both in a general sense and in relation to food issues. After completion of the course, the student shall be able to identify ethical issues in the food chain, to reflect upon them from different perspectives, and to show acquaintance with how to use standard normative ethical theories in ethical analysis of the food chain. Further, the aim of the course is to create opportunities for practicing ethical argumentation and deliberation with peers, both verbally and while producing shorter texts, in order to be able to argue for a certain position in accordance with basic argumentations rules such as consistency, coherence and relevance.
After completion of the course the student should be able to:
Identify ethical issues in the food chain, including those related to e.g. food security, food safety, feed efficiency, biotechnology, sustainable development, food from animal origin.
Describe some standpoints from the history of food ethics.
Describe and use a number of normative ethical theories (e.g. utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and contractarianism) on issues within food production, distribution and consumption.
Reflect on the role of social context, culture, religion and ethical norms in decisions regarding food.
Explain and reflect on the interaction between ethics and science in relation to food issues.
Formulate an ethical standpoint on a concrete problem of food ethics, discuss it through a pro and contra analysis and argue for it.
Content
The content of the course is structured along the food chain – from production and distribution to consumption and waste. Ethically relevant aspects occurring along the food chain will be elaborated by use of the most common normative ethical theories to highlight ethical challenges and value clashes as for example between animal welfare and climate friendly production, or between biodiversity and economic efficiency, or consumer versus citizen interests. Students will further be asked to read food ethics literature to get a grip of the theoretical standpoints in order to learn detecting relevant ethical aspects and understand pro and contra arguments for different positions. Hence, ethical discernment is in focus, and students will practice ethical argumentation though active listening to one another’s opinions, formulate relevant questions and strive for a coherent line of argumentation in a certain issue. The structure of the course: Web lectures will be held to present the normative ethical theories and argumentation analysis. During on-line IRT-seminars on core themes in food ethics, some of which are chosen by the students, will be presented and discussed. These will be mandatory seminars for discussion of the different themes mentioned above, where active participation is required.
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Active participation in seminars. Short written assignments. Essay questions to be responded to within a certain time frame and limited number of words, distributed at end of course.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Responsible department
Department of Molecular Sciences
Litterature list
List of mandatory course literature
Books:
Sandler, Ronald L. 2015. Food ethics. The Basics. Routledge, pp.201. https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203694404/food-ethics-basics-ronald-sandler
Gjerris M, Nielsen MEJ and Sandøe P (2013): The good, the right and the fair. An introduction to ethics College publ. pp. 192. (not available as e-book)
Kortetmäki, T. 2022. Agriculture and Climate Change Ethical Considerations, Chapter 3. Ed: Federal Ethics Committee on Non-Human Biotechnology ECNH and Ariane Willemsen, CH-Bern https://www.ekah.admin.ch/inhalte/ekah-dateien/dokumentation/publikationen/Buchreihe_Beitraege_zu_Ethik_und_Biotechnologie/Buch_15_Inhalt_Agriculture_and_Climate_Change.pdf
Scientific papers:
Dieterle, J.M. 2022. Agency and Autonomy in Food Choice: Can We Really Vote with Our Forks? J Agric Environ Ethics 35, 5 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-022-09878-3https://rdcu.be/cUSJn
Or Dieterle, J.M. 2016. Autonomy, Values, and Food Choice. J Agric Environ Ethics 29, 349–367 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-016-9610-2https://rdcu.be/cUSKa
Eriksson, Jonas, Rydhmer, Röcklinsberg 2017: Invited review: Breeding and ethical perspectives on genetically modified and genome edited cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 101 (1): 1-17, 2017
Gjerris M., Gaiani S. 2014: Food Waste and Consumer Ethics. In: Thompson P.B., Kaplan D.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of Food and Agricultural Ethics. Springer, Dordrecht
https://link.springer.com/referenceworkentry/10.1007/978-94-007-0929-4_99
Mepham, Ben. 2000. A Framework for the Ethical Analysis of Novel Foods: The Ethical Matrix. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics (12), 165-176. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A:1009542714497
Röös, E., Patel, M., Spångberg, J., Carlsson, G. & Rydhmer, L. 2016. Limiting livestock production to pasture and by-products in a search for sustainable diets. Food policy, 58, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodpol.2015.10.008
Sandøe, P. and Christiansen, S.B., 2008. The use of animals in animal production, Chapter 5 in their book Ethics of animal use in veterinary and animal science, Blackwell. (Available at the library, chapter 5 available as pdf in Canvas).
Schulze, M., Spiller, A & Risius, A. 2019. Food Retailers as Mediating Gatekeepers between Farmers and Consumers in the Supply Chain of Animal Welfare Meat - Studying Retailers’ Motives in Marketing Pasture-Based Beef Food Ethics 3,41-52. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s41055-019-00040-w
Siipi, H. 2015 Is Genetically Modified Food Unnatural? Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 28:807–816. DOI 10.1007/s10806-015-9568-5 https://rdcu.be/cUSNQ
Zwart, Hub. 2000. A short history of food ethics. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics 12:113–126. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1023/A%3A1009530412679
Further papers might be added closer to course, and you will choose 2-3 papers for reading and ethical reflection within an individual assignment.
Relevant resources available at SLU Library (with an SLU-account and VPN):
OXFORD HANDBOOK OF FOOD ETHICS https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/slub-ebooks/detail.action?docID=6380710
ROUTLEDGE HANDBOOK OF FOOD ETHICS https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781315745503