Deborah Valenze

Bronwyn Percival, technical director at Neal's Yard Dairy who studies cheesemaking microbes. Heather Paxton, cultural anthropologist exploring raw milk regulation. Deborah Valenze, historian of milk and pasteurization. Bill Oglethorpe, London artisanal cheesemaker. They tour a dairy, probe hygiene and microbial management, trace pasteurization’s cultural history, debate the 60-day rule and show how microbes shape flavor and safety.

Deborah Valenze, Ann Whitney Olin Professor at Barnard College, presents a radical reinterpretation of Thomas Malthus and his theories on scarcity. She uncovers Malthus's narrow views on food production and how they contributed to colonial agricultural models. Valenze explores the overlooked subsistence practices like hunting and gardening, reshaping our understanding of human livelihoods. Additionally, she critiques the biases in historical narratives regarding indigenous cultures and discusses the cultural significance of bread in societal hierarchies.

Deborah Valenze, Ann Whitney Olin Professor of History at Barnard College, challenges Thomas Malthus's theories on population and food scarcity. She uncovers the diverse practices of subsistence that Malthus overlooked, such as hunting and gathering. Valenze critiques the colonial implications of Malthus's work, emphasizing biases against indigenous practices. She argues for a broader understanding of human livelihoods, suggesting that the misinterpretations of scarcity continue to influence modern economic thought and responses to poverty.