The Philosophy of Food

05/04/2020

I am sad to report that I am cancelling the remade Philosophy of Food course, Philoso 2082F--Introduction to the Philosophy of Food, for Fall 2020 due to the uncertainty regarding enrollments and remote teaching. The course has been expanded to include up to 394 students while still retaining the active learning organization and the use of WALS for group activities and while remaining a community-engaged learning course. Because the course has been specifically designed to promote collaborative in-person interactions among small groups, it is impossible to replicate in an online format and I believe that the integrity of the course and its learning outcomes needs to be respected. The rollout of the new course will therefore be pushed back to Fall 2021, and the rollout of its partner course, Philoso 3830F--Advanced Philosophy of Food, will be pushed back to Fall 2022. I am saddened by this and I regret any difficulties or disappointments this might cause in people planning to enroll in the course for Fall 2020.

05/01/2020

Advocacy Action Alert from the HEAL Food Alliance:

As you might have heard, Trump has enacted an executive
order to force meat processing companies to remain open
during the pandemic and plans to sign another to shield meatpacking companies from legal liability over failing to protect workers. This comes after weeks of ongoing spikes in Covid-19 cases among food workers as well as worker deaths from the virus. Today, we [HEAL Food Alliance] want to ask you to please send a letter to the five largest meat companies that we know are supplying public institutions while continuing to exploit and risk workers’ lives.

Please see the attached sample letter (https://docs.google.com/document/d/1h6j63EIMBUfyCNG5TKFx5n516yvM5c3Q9LOyX3K8pyk/edit?usp=sharing) drafted for Good Food Purchasing institutions but easily modified for any public institution or private citizen that engages with public institutions. Feel free to modify it however you see fit and then send it to the top 5 meat
suppliers via the following email addresses:

[email protected]
Noel White, President & CEO, Tyson Foods

[email protected]
Andre Nogueira, CEO, JBS USA Holdings

[email protected]
David MacLennan, Chairman & CEO, Cargill

[email protected]
Kenneth M. Sullivan, President and CEO, Smithfield Foods

[email protected]
Steve Lykken, President, Jennie-O Turkey Store

Please remember to “cc” [email protected] when you send the letter so we can track all of the great work you’re doing on behalf of food workers and a better food system.

SAMPLE **** SAMPLE **** SAMPLE Dear ###, On April 28th, the Trump administration announced it would issue an executive order compelling meat companies to stay open during the pandemic, despite the fact that thousands of meat processing workers and over one hundred USDA meat inspectors have teste...

04/30/2020

The Hill family is continuing Cookies for Climate Action on the next Climate Strike Friday May 1, 15:00-16:00 EDT.Please feel free to join us via Zoom (PM me for details and password) for fellowship and conversation about climate change.We will be baking a new type of cookie while we stream. We encourage you to bake your favorite too (or any dish you wish).Since we cannot gather in person to counter social isolation and protest climate inaction during this time of COVID, we are gathering virtually. We have a playlist to accompany our theme of striking against COVID-19 and Climate Change Inaction here:

A playlist featuring The Decemberists, R.E.M., The Police, and others

04/10/2020

Check out this new interview with Carol Adams, author of The Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist-Vegetarian Critical Theory, The Po*******hy of Meat, Neither Man nor Beast: Feminism and the Defense of Animals, and Burger, discussing feminism, meat and plant-based meat substitutes, and veganism.

The Sexual Politics of Meat with Carol J. Adams April 9, 2020April 8, 2020 Veganism. Animal rights. Feminism. Masculinity. Capitalism. The climate crisis. Racism. Author Carol Adams discusses how each of these issues is connected. If you’re eager to explore the intersectional relationships between...

11/24/2019

A group of students is organizing to establish a Slow Food Western chapter. They are having an information meeting and membership drive Wednesday Dec 4, 6:00 at Brescia, St. James Building room 136. This should be of special interest to students from The Philosophy of Food, but everyone with an interest in food and concerned about the philosophical issues within the food system are invited to attend the meeting to learn more about the Slow Food movement (https://www.slowfood.com/) and the students organizing a Slow Food community at Western. Feel free reach out to Prof. Hill if you have questions before the meeting or want to help with establishing a Slow Food Western community.

11/24/2019

Are you interested in being a part of food system change in Middlesex London? Then the Middlesex London Food Policy Council needs you. We are now seeking applications for the January 2020 – Dec 202…

09/12/2019

In case any of you were wondering what you could do with a background and experience in the Philosophy of Food, the University of Milan is looking to hire a post-doc specializing in the philosophy of food. Check out their call for applications below. Milan Italy is one of the great progressive food cities of the world; there are not many better places to help develop the future food system and shape its values.

There is an opening for a post-doc position in philosophy of food at the University of Milan. The position is for 1 year, typically renewed for at least one more year. We are looking for a talented and highly motivated postdoctoral researcher with experience of research on food issues, with a particular emphasis on scientific and environmental questions. The postdoctoral researcher will join Andrea Borghini and Luca Bonardi on the project "Reimagining Culinary Landscapes: Theoretical and Value-Laden Challenges." This project is part of a 5 years
"Excellence Schema," awarded to The Department of Philosophy at the University of Milan "La Statale" in 2017. The Department has a leading role in research and innovative teaching among Italian universities. Milan and its region are an ideal location to carry forward a research project on the future of food; the postdoctoral researcher will also play a significant role in Culinary Mind, an international network of scholars coordinated by Andrea Borghini.

The ideal candidate has a strong background (PhD in Philosophy or suitably related areas) in one or more of the following core areas of analytic philosophy: metaphysics, philosophy of biology, philosophy of language, and aesthetics. Additional backgrounds in geography, food studies, environmental studies and landscape studies are welcome. We are looking for a person with a very promising research profile and who has the ability to publish in international peer­ reviewed journals. The successful applicant has very strong interpersonal and organizational skills, and is enthusiastic about the collaborative approach research.

The 12-month contract will start on November 1, 2019, or as soon as possible thereafter. It will be renewed for another 12 months 
subject to positive evaluation.

Deadline for applications: October 11, 2019.

For more details and to apply, see the official call here:
https://www.unimi.it/it/ricerca-ricerca-lastatale-fare-ricerca-da-noi-assegni-di-ricerca-e-borse/bando-di-tipo-b-prof-64

Questions should be directed to Andrea Borghini

La domanda di partecipazione dovrà essere inoltrata attraverso la piattaforma informatica dedicata, accedendo al link indicato nel bando. Per informazioni consulta la pagina Assegni di ricerca

02/24/2019

Discussion of Western's Veg Out! event.

Veg Out! Western Last week (Feb 19–20, 2019) I attended Western Hospitality’s Veg Out! event. Veg Out! was an exploration of vegan foods for the chefs, staff, and management conducted by ForwardFoo…