PLAP 3160

Offers 2 online quizzes. Very manageable course. Doesn't expect you to read EVERYTHING in the small amount of time you have. Incredibly interesting, so the readings are fun to read!

I took this as part of the Morven Summer Institute. It's a 2 week program ("Jterm in May term") and you go to class from 10-3:30. Topics included: the industrial food system, food safety, the problem with soda, USDA Dietary Guidelines, obesity, migrant workers, etc. Guest speakers and fun demonstrations, such as cooking and mindfulness, were sprinkled throughout lectures+discussions. Aside from participation, your grades are based on 2 multiple choice Collab quizzes, a 10 minute presentation, and a 8-10 final paper on a topic of your choosing. Prof. Freedman is a "rock star" and is hilarious. Note that there are a lot of readings.

Highly recommend this class! I took it as part of the Morven Summer Institute (it's 2 weeks and takes place on UVA's farm just outside cville) which was a welcome change from a normal classroom setting. Professor Freedman was awesome and arranged a bunch of really cool speakers to come work with the class. There was a lot of reading, but it is generally pretty interesting and not impossible if you stick to it. This class sheds light on how our food system actually works so I would definitely recommended it for all majors!

Was a very interesting class. I had not known about the world of food. Made me change my lifestyle and how I approached my consummation and analysis of food. This was my second class with freedman, he is one of my favorite professors. He has conversations with students in class and has a passion for teaching. He knows the material really well and has met/knows many of the authors providing first hand knowledge. On the assignment side, I got a B in the class. I somewhat did the readings, if you were on top of the readings you can easily get an A. I took the class during COVID era which extended the class to 4 weeks spacing out the assignments. I would think it would be a somewhat fast pace class for two weeks. TOP 5 BEST CLASS AT UVA.

Great class, very informative. Took it over two weeks, and the courseload was ok. Some daily reading and discussions, but nothing too strenuous if you know how to skim or have taken any history or politics before. Changed the way I fundamentally looked at food and its relationship with society, changed my diet, so a very important course to take and one that I would say sticks with you for a while. Some informative guest speakers from a variety of real careers and positions that related to the topics, such as people working for the FDA or leaders of volunteer organizations. Quizzes were the only downside to class: not hard but just multiple choice based on the lecture slides and not very engaging at all, but they were, by admission, written about an hour before they went live. Still, heavily recommend the class, it will change the way you look at food and your life and the society around you.

I actually took this in January of 22 but for some reason that wasn't an option. Dr. Freedman is one of my favorite professors because his class didn't feel like a Ted Talk but rather the atmosphere was amiable to student input during lecture and felt like my high school in the best way possible. A regret I have about coming to UVA is how UVA is committed to preserving core issues while parading the address of symptoms but this class is really worthwhile in discussing how having a hand in or simply knowledge of your food production is important for everyone. Friendly and genuine professor.

This class is definitely as good as the other comments say it is. Professor Freedman is an incredibly engaging and knowledgeable professor. Even if you are not knowledgeable about politics, it is fine! Prof. Freedman assumes no prior knowledge of politics despite this being a 3000-level class. He engages everyone through inducing problems from our existing experiences with food and connecting it heavily with the idea of democracy. Eventually, it coalesces and ramps up in scale as we examine the Farm Bill and the broken food system of the United States more closely.

This course is a great overview of the politics of food in the U.S. There is a hefty amount of reading, but you should be fine if you skim and lock-in during J-term or the school year. There are two open note quizzes and one final paper. The main books are Omnivores Dilemma by Michael Pollan and Food Politics and What Everybody Needs to Know by Robert Paarlberg. There is not much theory analysis involved in this class, but it does provide a place for you to reflect upon your place in the food system.

Probably one of my most favorite classes here at UVA! Prof Freedman is one of the best Professors at UVA. He's super smart and funny. The readings are a little dense, but you can do fine by skimming them. The class is graded on participation, 2 fairly easy exams, a paper, and a final group project. Freedman is approachable and a great lecturer and he is always open to answering questions and helping with assignments. Would 100% recommend you take this class, easy A if you put in a decent amount of effort.

I took this class during J-term 2026 and loved it! It was so interesting and had a very manageable workload. Like any J-term class, it can be hard to stay focused through 4.5 hours of lecture every day, but Prof. Freedman is highly engaging and very funny. I learned so much and have become a more conscious eater, buyer, and food producer. 10/10 would recommend if you are at all interested in food, food policy, environmental policy, or government regulation.