This book examines contradictions within the fields of food studies and agroecology, from the differences between traditional and scientific knowledge, to habitat fragmentation and connection, monocultures versus diverse farming systems, pest regulation, and the rural/urban dialectic. Building and expanding on the work of Richard Levins and Richard Lewontin, who used the dialectical method in the field of biology, this analysis includes examples from the authors' own pioneering research in Mexico, Nicaragua, and Puerto Rico, to demonstrate the benefits of applying the dialectical method to agroecology in practice. Exploring themes in studies that are currently the subject of rigorous debate among academics and activists alike, especially related to food production and distribution, this book is indispensable for practitioners and activists seeking to transform the food system, as well as for social and natural scientists.

This book provides an interdisciplinary analysis of the food system and agroecology through the lens of the dialectical methodology.

About the Author
John Vandermeer is a Distinguished University Professor at the University of Michigan, where he teaches courses in ecology and agroecosystems. He has also taught agroecology to students in 10 different countries in Latin America and Europe. He is author or editor of 16 books and over 300 scientific publications. Ivette Perfecto is a Professor at the University of Michigan. She has co-authored four books, including Breakfast of Biodiversity and Nature's Matrix with John Vandermeer and Angus Wright. Perfecto is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and Science for the People.


Book Information
ISBN 9781009455831
Author John Vandermeer
Format Hardback
Page Count 246
Imprint Cambridge University Press
Publisher Cambridge University Press