The Hungry Years: Anthropological Perspectives On Food Security

Words: 1983
Pages: 8
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Patience Hall
ANT 4930
Harris
TR 9:30-10:50
The Hungry Years: Anthropological Perspectives on Food Security
Introduction
Throughout the world, there are many people starving, and many without the ability to obtain food in a socially acceptable manner. These people lack food security, which has become a global issue in the world today. According to the World Food Programme, the global food crisis is “…the biggest challenge that WFP has faced in its 45-year history,” (WFP, 2008). With such a large issue affecting a variety of cultures and peoples, anthropology plays an important role in addressing and amending the problem of food insecurity. I will be discussing three different articles in which anthropologists address the issue of food security. …show more content…
Nutritionists “…have attempted to infer food insecurity from anthropometric, dietary, or laboratory measures, rather than to measure it directly,” (Bundt and Rao, 1999). This limited way of determining food insecurity causes a variety of problems, the most prominent being the lack of full representation of all groups affected by the issue. The main similarities between all three articles presented are that they look at the issue holistically, a technique that is rather unique to anthropology. This method is valuable because it allows a more complete portrayal of an issue and it allows all groups affected to be represented fairly. When all of the issues surrounding food insecurity are looked at together, it also allows easier resolutions to the problem, such as the cultural suggestions Messer makes in her article. According to A Handbook of Practicing Anthropology, “…practioners are expected to provide solutions. And the solutions often have the effect of changing lives, as well as minds,” (Nolan 2013). The use of anthropology in the issue of food security has the potential to do just …show more content…
The articles examined view food security from both spectrums. They also used different methodologies in research, and obtained different results. The articles show varying anthropological perspectives on food security. Messer discusses it in terms of cultural conflict. Hadley and his collaborators consider it through the context of an overlooked group, and Quandt and Pao look at the problem in terms of environmental and cultural factors affecting a population. Overall, these different looks at food security through anthropology provide a holistic view of the problem and can help others to better solve the
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