International Agribusiness Studies｜Kyoto University OpenCourseWare

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Numbering Code	P-MGT75 60430 LE44	Year/Term	2022 ・ First semester
Number of Credits	2	Course Type	Lecture
Target Year		Target Student
Language	English	Day/Period	Mon.3・4 every 2 weeks
Instructor name	HISANO SHUJI (Graduate School of Economics Professor)
Outline and Purpose of the Course	Our consistent and overarching theme of this course is how to investigate and understand the power of business as a political actor, especially the role of multinational corporations vis-a-vis the role of states and civil society actors. In the years of 2019 and 2020, this course provided a comprehensive analysis of social, economic, political, cultural and environmental issues surrounding specific agricultural products along the agri-food value chains (a global flow of the food from upstream to downstream across borders). Then, in the year of 2021, we turned our attention to one of the ongoing structural processes with profound influences on agri-food systems and rural economies around the world: financialisation. Through reading a relevant textbook, we critically examined the impacts of financialisation in the food industry and in farming and forestry, as well as the impacts on rural actors and communities. In both cases, what we kept in mind in our review and discussion was power relations within and behind the process of agri-food businesses development and transformation. As a matter of necessity, our subsequent question is how powerful business actors are able to exert a direct and indirect influence on the process of international and national policy making (agenda setting) and governance of agri-food systems. In this semester, we are going to read together several books (chapters) and articles on the topic of a rising trend of multistakeholder governance for global challenges, such as food insecurity and climate change. As often dubbed and criticized as "multistakeholderism" or "corporate takeover of governance", the main driving force behind these multistakeholder approaches to global governance is multinational corporations, business associations, and private foundations. They are powerful enough to form their own global governance platforms and coalitions involving other actors, and to construct discourses to legitimise themselves as if having governmental authority and make their own agenda and standards normalised. In order to tackle this question, we will take a perspective of political economy, political sociology, and governance studies, not business management or project management, as a theoretical and methodological foundation.
Course Goals	By the end of this course, having read the literature and participated in the educational activities, students should be able to acquire a deep understanding and critical insight into the process and mechanism of global governance and the role of powerful corporate actors and private foundations: how and in what way they are able to exert their influence on global governance; and if and how it is possible to challenge such a hegemonic regime and bring global governance more democratic and genuinely participatory.
Schedule and Contents	We are going to read the following book (tentatively): Week 1) Guidance Week 2-5) - Harris Gleckman (2018) Multistakeholder Governance and Democracy: A Global Challenge, Earthscan/Routledge. Week 6-9) - Brid Brennan et al. eds. (2021) The Great Takeover: Mapping of Multistakeholderism in Global Governance, People's Working Group on Multistakeholderism. Week 10-15 (either) - Adam Moe Fejerskov (2018) The Gates Foundation's Rise to Power: Private Authority in Global Politics, Routledge. - John C. Scott (2018) Lobbying and Society: A Political Sociology of Interest Groups, Polity Press. Week 16) Wrap-up and feedback
Evaluation Methods and Policy	Grading will be carried out on a basis of active class participation (70%) and assignment presentation/report (30%).
Course Requirements	No prerequisite knowledge or skill required other than English language ability sufficient to interact actively in class.
Study outside of Class (preparation and review)	Students are required to read assigned book chapters for each class as well as other relevant reading materials so that they will be able to actively participate in discussions.
Textbooks	Textbooks/References	Multistakeholder Governance and Democracy: A Global Challenge, Harris Gleckman, (Routledge, 2018), ISBN:9781138502130 The Gates Foundation's Rise to Power: Private Authority in Global Politics, Adam Moe Fejerskov, (Routledge, 2018), ISBN:9781138306851 Lobbying and Society: A Political Sociology of Interest Groups, John C. Scott, (Polity Press, 2018), ISBN:9781509510351 Reading materials will be made available in advance through the course mailing list and/or a cloud system (e.g. Google Drive).
References, etc.	Recommended reading materials will be made available in advance as well as in class through the course mailing list and/or a cloud system (e.g. Google Drive).