In 'Winners Take All: The Elite Charade of Changing the World,' Anand Giridharadas argues that members of the global elite use their wealth and influence to address social issues in ways that do not fundamentally challenge the systems that perpetuate those issues. The book explores the dynamics between philanthropy, capitalism, and social change, highlighting how market-driven solutions often address symptoms rather than root causes. Giridharadas critiques the limitations of philanthropy and corporate social responsibility, suggesting that true social change requires robust, egalitarian institutions and democratic engagement rather than reliance on the benevolence of the wealthy.
In this episode, Dr. Julie Guthman discusses her latest book, The Problem with Solutions: Why Silicon Valley Can’t Hack the Future of Food. She critiques the narrow, short-term solutions for food and agriculture promoted by Silicon Valley, urging us to move beyond these capital-driven, "techno-solutionist" approaches that fail to create a truly just and sustainable food system.
Dr. Guthman is a distinguished professor of sociology at the University of California, Santa Cruz. For nearly three decades, her research and teaching have focused on how neoliberal capitalism shapes and limits potential transformations in the food system.
📝 Show notes:
The Problem with Solutions by Julie Guthman https://www.ucpress.edu/books/the-problem-with-solutions/
From Farming to Biotechnology: A Theory of Agro-industrial Development.https://www.academia.edu/20776055/Book_Review_From_Farming_to_Biotechnology_A_Theory_of_Agro_Industrial_Development_David_Goodman_Bernardo_Sorj_John_Wilkinson
Gathering for Open Agricultural Technology (GOAT) https://goatech.org/
Winners Take All by Anand Giridharadas https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winners_Take_All:_The_Elite_Charade_of_Changing_the_World
Race After Technology by Ruha Benjamin https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_After_Technology
Planetary Improvement by Jesse Goldstein https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262535076/planetary-improvement/
Encountering Poverty by Ananya Roy https://www.ucpress.edu/books/encountering-poverty/paper
Tech Won't Save Us (Podcast): https://techwontsave.us/
Tierra y Libertad 
