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A Decent Meal
Book

A Decent Meal

Building Empathy in a Divided America

Redwood Press, 2021 más...


Editorial Rating

9

Qualities

  • Eye Opening
  • Hot Topic
  • Engaging

Recommendation

Sociologist Michael Carolan offers an intriguing account of what he has learned about empathy from his research on the US food system. His studies of food-stamp recipients, low-wage agricultural laborers, commercial farmers and game hunters reveal how people can come to understand those who hold diametrically opposed views and beliefs. This timely book is a quick read, even perhaps too quick; it contains fascinating points you wish Carolan had spent a little more time explaining. Still, any American concerned about the present state of US sociopolitical discourse will appreciate this thought-provoking text. 

Take-Aways

  • Empathy isn’t just about finding commonalities; it’s also about recognizing differences. 
  • Food can serve as a useful prism through which to study empathy.
  • Empathy is missing in contemporary American social and political life.

About the Author

Michael Carolan is a professor of sociology at Colorado State University, where he co-founded the Food Systems Institute for Research, Engagement and Learning. He is the author of several books, including The Real Cost of Cheap Food.


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