Global Studies help unveil key drivers of the sustainability crisis
Is there a way for the world's agri-food systems to become more sustainable, inclusive and just? This is the core of Thomas Daum's research. And for him, global studies help uncover some of the root causes that contribute to the current sustainability crisis.
“I am a Senior Lecturer in Human Ecology at the School of Global Studies, University of Gothenburg. I co-coordinate the bachelor programme on “Sustainable Development, Societal Change, and Climate Transformation” and I convene and teach as part of several courses at the master level. Prior to joining the School of Global Studies, I spent several years at the Institute of Agricultural Sciences in the Tropics at the University of Hohenheim in Germany.
Along with research and teaching, policy and civil society engagement are close to my heart. I have served as a consultant for international organizations, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations and the World Bank. As a freelance journalist, I have written for the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung and the Süddeutsche Zeitung, two leading newspapers in Germany. I am part of the editorial board of ‘Welternährung’, a journal of the German ‘Welthungerhilfe’.”
How Thomas benefits from an interdisciplinary approach in his research:
“International relations offer insights into the emergence of today’s global agri-food systems and trade relations, often referred to as “food from nowhere”. This field also provide understanding of global governance on issues related to our agri-food system such as famines, crises, migration, climate change, and biodiversity loss,” says Thomas Daum.
“And environmental social sciences explore socio-ecological transformation, such as reconciling agriculture with biodiversity conservation. Social anthropology offers invaluable insights into how cultural factors shape agricultural and food-related attitudes, behaviors, and practices, including farmer-wildlife conflicts, alternative food networks, and artificial meat.”