Coffee, Chocolate, and Sustainable Development

This interdisciplinary course explores the social and ecological components that intertwine coffee and cacao to our lives and the natural and political history of Costa Rica. We consider the transformation of forested lands to coffee and cacao plantations owned by elites; intertwine with current questions of cultural representation, agro-tourism, and land use strategies, and agricultural certifications. Through field investigations, we focus on in-depth exploration of the relationships between cacao & coffee production and climate change, social justice movements, and species conservation.