Geography 298, Section 2: Agriculture at the Metropolitan Edge

A graduate seminar at the University of California, Berkeley

This spring, the Agriculture at the Metropolitan Edge Program is pleased to offer a ten-week graduate seminar here at the University of California, Berkeley. We will bring together students from a variety of departments on campus to discuss periurban agriculture, its future, and strategies for its preservation and enhancement. The class will culminate with attendance at the Agriculture at the Metropolitan Edge symposium, April 5-6, 2007. Following is a detailed description of the course.

Full syllabus and reading list will be posted soon.

Course coordinator: Sibella Kraus (Director, Agriculture at the Metropolitan Edge program)
Faculty sponsor: Michael Johns (Professor, Geography)
Seminar facilitators: Nathan McClintock (PhD student, Geography) and Alethea Harper (Master’s student, Landscape Architecture & Environmental Planning, and GSR, AME program)

Course Description: A robust agricultural system is vital to the health of metropolitan regions worldwide. This course will engage students in an investigation of urban-rural interface issues including land use policies and economics, the role of local food systems, environmental services and impacts, and urban/rural linkages. Through case study-based lectures and weekly readings and discussions, students will explore periurban agriculture as one of the basic frameworks for understanding and managing the growth of metropolitan regions worldwide. Students will also prepare individual presentations. The first seven weeks will be spent on readings and discussion, establishing basic knowledge and a common language for describing urban-rural interface issues. During each of these first weeks, a doctoral student or visiting speaker will present a case study relevant to the themes of the class. The last two weeks will be devoted to presentation of student research projects. The course will culminate with attendance at the Agriculture at the Metropolitan Edge symposium, April 5-6.

Course Objectives: By completing weekly readings, leading and participating in class discussions, and preparing an individual presentation, students will gain an understanding of the following themes:

• Rural-Urban Linkages
• Urban Edge Land Use Policy and Economics
• Environmental Services and Constraints
• Livelihood Conservation Strategies and Vitality of Rural Communities
• Local Food Systems and Food Justice
• Future Policy Strategies

These themes all depend on answering a central question: What are the critical linkages between urban and rural areas? By the end of the course, students will be prepared to debate this question, and participate in discussions on the future of periurban agriculture around the world. Students will also be able to evaluate the likely costs and benefits of proposed projects and policies for the urban edge.