Student or Group Info
Name: Ali Bailey
Term: Spring 2021
Credits: 4
Title of ILC: Chain Reactions: Food Sovereignty and Nuclear Powers
Field Supervisor
Field supervisor: Dr. Sarah Williams
Title: Faculty
Organization: The Evergreen State College
Subcontractor
Name: Dr. Steve Scheuerell
Title: Faculty
Organization: The Evergreen State College
Program of Project Description
This one-quarter project, entitled Chain Reactions: Food Sovereignty and Nuclear Powers, is designed to explore local food systems, food sovereignty, and agroecology in regions impacted by the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident, and those impacted the legacy of plutonium production at the Hanford Nuclear Reservation. This exploration will specifically contextualize grassroots activism and citizen resistance within local food systems at the interface of national/cultural identity, globalization, agriculture, environmental impact, and energy policy. The inseparable nuclear histories of the United States and Japan will also be explored through shared foodways and agricultural practices. Written work includes weekly blog posts to an ePortfolio, with personal reflections and analysis.
Texts to be studied include: Atomic Harvest by Michael D’Antonio, Radiation Brain Moms and Citizen Scientists by Aya Hirata Kimura, Yakama Rising by Michelle M. Jacob, Satoyama-Satoumi Ecosystems and Human Well-Being by United Nations University Press, and the textbook Political Agroecology: Advancing the Transition to Sustainable Food Systems. Films to be studied include Ashes To Honey: For Searching a Sustainable Future and Arid Lands, as well as an assortment of short documentaries and news magazine reports on both the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster and the Hanford Nuclear Reservation.
| Learning objective | Activity | Deliverable |
| Learn about food sovereignty struggles faced by communities in regions impacted by nuclear accidents and plutonium production. | Read selected texts and watch selected films, alongside any supplemental articles or references as needed. | Notes and progress posted to an ePortfolio with weekly blog posts and consistent documentation. |
| Contextualize grassroots activism and resistance within local food systems at the interface of national/cultural identity, globalization, agriculture, and energy policy. | Summarize and analyze readings and films, making connections between them. | Notes and progress posted to an ePortfolio with weekly blog posts and consistent documentation. |
Evaluation of Work
- Narrative evaluation from sponsor
- Narrative self-evaluation from student
- WordPress ePortfolio
- Final week ten presentation