Agricultural Sciences

Animals figure in human society and culture in multiple ways, while frequently being marginalized or reduced to commodities, production units, status symbols, and tools. This course offers a critical exploration of how a shifting economic, scientific, political, and media-shaped landscape assigns various roles and values to animals in contemporary Western society and the consequences for the living conditions of animals and humans alike. The course integrates innovative critical animal studies research from a range of areas such as sociology, media and communication studies, philosophy, cultural studies, geography, gender studies, and critical race studies.

This course explores microbiological concepts relevant to agricultural, environmental, and food applications. Examples relate microbiological theory to the production and spoilage of foods and fodders, water quality, microbiological regulation of nutrient cycles, animal and plant health, and biotechnology. Students are introduced to common microorganisms and consider growth, classification, genetics, survival, and control by sterilization, disinfection, immunization, and antibiotics. As part of the theoretical and practical aspects of the course students gain experience with microbiological laboratory methodologies such as microscopy, sterile technique, and the isolation and identification of pure cultures.

Upon completion of the course, students are able to …..

1.. understand and apply key concepts and ideas relating to food and nutrition from a social science/human geography approach.
2.. understand and analyze food issues from a relational perspective, in terms of both its geographical dimensions as well as systems thinking.
3.. understand food as a contested domain, and being able to identify and analyze major issues of social justice and sustainability relating to food.
4. reflect critically on social and geographical issues of food, and develop and communicate an informed argument about them (academic skills).
5. apply a set of specific analytical tools with respect to food and nutrition issues.   

 

The six-week summer lab research program at National Taiwan University places students in various science, engineering and social science research labs and/or projects under the supervision of faculty. Students spend approximately 30 hours per week in lab activities.