What we eat, where it is from, and how it is produced are vital
questions in today's America. We think seriously about food because it
is freighted with the hopes, fears, and anxieties of modern life. Yet
critiques of food and food systems all too often sprawl into jeremiads
against modernity itself, while supporters of the status quo refuse to
acknowledge the problems with today's methods of food production and
distribution. Food Fights sheds new light on these crucial debates,
using a historical lens. Its essays take strong positions, even arguing
with one another, as they explore the many themes and tensions that
define how we understand our food--from the promises and failures of
agricultural technology to the politics of taste.
In addition to the editors, contributors include Ken Albala, Amy
Bentley, Charlotte Biltekoff, Peter A. Coclanis, Tracey Deutsch, S.
Margot Finn, Rachel Laudan, Sarah Ludington, Margaret Mellon, Steve
Striffler, and Robert T. Valgenti.