Introductory lecture of Master on Food, Law and Finance at International University College of Turin (Italy), class 2017-18. Module Global Food Policies. What does it mean to be critical/radical versus being conventional when analysing food policies? Two case studies are presenting on how corporations shape academic discourses in Nutrition and the unaffordability of eating five vegetables/fruits per day in UK and Global South.

1. Critical Food
Studies
What does “critical”
mean?
JOSE LUIS VIVERO POL
PhD Research Fellow
in Food Governance
Module “Global Food Policy and Developement”
Master in Food, Law and Finance 2017-18
International University College, Turin, Italy

2. Your favourite
Food-related issue

6. Definition: CRITICAL
Oxford English Dictionary www.oed.com
1.- Given to judging;
esp. given to
adverse or
unfavourable
criticism; fault-
finding, censorious.
2.- Involving or
exercising careful
judgement or
observation; nice,
exact, accurate,
precise, punctual.

7. Definition: RADICAL

8. • 1. Relating to or forming the
root, basis, or foundation of
something; original, primary.
• 2. Polit. Advocating thorough
or far-reaching political or social
reform; representing or
supporting an extreme section
of a party.
• 3. Characterized by
independence of or departure
from what is usual or traditional;
progressive, unorthodox, or
innovative in outlook,
conception, design, etc.
RADICAL
Visions 2015-2030 World Nutrition
http://wphna.org/worldnutrition/

9. CONVENTIONAL
Relating to convention or general agreement;
established by social convention; having its origin
or sanction merely in an artificial convention of
any kind; arbitrarily or artificially determined.

11. • Questioning deeper and deeper
• Facts (not post-truth)
• Narratives (faith-based ideologies or
evidence-based framings) based on
IMAGES + CAUSES + SOLUTIONS
• Balance of power (winners & losers)
• Structural causes, visible effects
• Transforming or reforming policies
• Values shape policies/legal
frameworks

12. Take-away Messages
Academia is a shaper, but also shaped: money can pervert the
Ivory Tower (Immanuel Wallerstein)
Manufacturing Consent & hegemony: we are taught to think what is
convenient for the elites (Antonio Gramsci)
Mono-cultures of mind: discarding options that threaten
the establishment. Diversity is resilience (Vandana Shiva)

13. Let’s practice critical criticism

18. Insurance Companies Investment FundsInvestment Bank
Shareholders
owning more
than 3% in DSM

19. Sight and Life www.sightandlife.org
Humanitarian nutrition think tank of DSM,
championing the global fight against
malnutrition by advancing research, sharing
best practices & mobilizing support
A DSM and Sight and Life Foundation-led
editorial board has launched a new book
to provide the latest perspectives on the
nutrition challenges

20. Manfred Eggersdorfer, Senior Vice President, Nutrition Science and
Advocacy at DSM Nutritional Products.
Jonathan Steffen, 153, St Neots Road, Cambridge CB23
Email: jonathan.steffen@corporatestory.co.uk
http://www.sightandlife.org/fileadmin/data/Magazine/2016/Mag2/Landmark
_Global_Nutrition_Study_Launched.pdf

23. • Philantrophy
• NGOs
• Governments
• Development Banks
• Media
• Yourself