The Scout Report -- Volume 27, Number 40

Founded in 1984 as a print magazine, American Songwriter has evolved to become a provider of digital content including videos, web features, and a podcast network. The Behind the Song feature on the website is freely available to subscribers and non-subscribers alike, and presents digital stories with interviews and video performances of famous songs such as "Little Lies," by Fleetwood Mac, "He Stopped Loving Her Today," by George Jones, or "Carolina In My Mind," by James Taylor. Each post in the featured series includes explanatory text, images, and original performances or cover versions of the song. Other features of American Songwriter include Songwriter U, which has opportunities for songwriters to learn about topics such as "Coaching," "Getting Paid," "Legal Corner," and "Marketing" (which can be found under a drop-down menu at the top of the page). In the menu bar, visitors looking to share their work can find song and lyric "Contests." Finally, visitors should check out the Features drop-down menu for news, interviews, and reviews, as well as videos such as a recent performance of "River" by Leon Bridges and Jon Batiste at the 2021 Emmy Awards. [DS]

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Today, thanks to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and a suite of food safety regulations, consumers generally do not have to worry that their meals might be contaminated or laced with poisonous chemicals. However, this was not always the case, as is highlighted in the PBS documentary The Poison Squad, which aired January 28, 2020 as part of the American Experience film series. The two-hour film and the book by Deborah Blum on which it is based focus on the work undertaken by government chemist Harvey Wiley to protect consumers from powerful food companies and the dangerous substances tainting the U.S. food supply. The full film is available to view on the page linked above (as of this writing), and viewers can also scroll to the Features section below the embedded video player for links to related content such as digital shorts and articles. A written transcript of the film is available by clicking the down arrow in the Menu under the video player. The Poison Squad was written and directed by John Maggio. Additional funding for the film was provided by The Documentary Investment Group. [MJZ]

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This website provides blog posts on individual books owned by women to document early modern female book ownership between 1500 and 1750. From the page linked above, visitors can use the "Finding Aid," which is essentially an index (available online or as a downloadable spreadsheet) that allows researchers to quickly locate posts about particular books by title, date, owner, or the library collection in which it is located. Clicking on any title in the index will take readers to a blog post. For example, two editions (from 1776 and 1789) of Elizabeth Raffald's The Experienced English Housekeeper, are discussed in a post by Georgianna Ziegler, one of the scholars who maintain the site. The post includes several images from the books, as well as brief biographical information about Raffald. On the page linked above, readers can also find posts via a variety of Categories on the right side of the page, such as "17th Century," "American," and appropriately, a host of women-related tags: "women dedicatees," "women printers," "women sellers," "women sponsors," "women translators," and "women writers." Early Modern Female Book Ownership is maintained by Mark Empey, Sarah Lindenbaum, Tara Lyons, Erin McCarthy, Micheline White, Georgianna Ziegler, and Martine van Elk. The blog received Honorable Mention for the 2020 Digital Scholarship Award by the Society for the Study of Early Modern Women and Gender. [DS]

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From the reputable public opinion pollster Pew Research Center (previously featured in the 08-13-2021 Scout Report), the report Jewish Americans in 2020 discusses changes to Jewish religiosity, culture, and politics over the past decade. The report finds an increasingly sharp divergence among the youngest American Jewish adults, who represent larger shares among both traditionally observant Orthodox Jews and those who identify as culturally or ethnically, but not religiously Jewish. While partaking of the same cultural activities, these groups of religious and non-religious Jews report feeling that they have less in common with each other. Further, among all survey respondents, a majority reported feeling less safe because of the increased prevalence of anti-Semitism in recent years. The survey was conducted between November 2019 and June 2020 and included 4,718 Jews from around the U.S. The full report is 12 chapters long, discussing in detail topics such as Jewish identity, beliefs, customs, family life, community, politics, demographics, economic well-being, and perceptions of anti-Semitism. The full report and other materials such as the topline findings, questionnaires, and interactives are available under the Report Materials menu on the right side of the page linked above, as are quick links to each chapter of the report. Social scientists interested in methodology may want to read the appendices, which discuss how the survey administrators dealt with declining response rates to phone surveys since the survey was last conducted in 2013. [MJZ]

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Previously featured in the 08-26-2016 Scout Report, Lady Science is a magazine on the history and popular culture of science that publishes a variety of voices and work on women and gender across the sciences. The podcast, which has released roughly one episode per month since October 2017, is hosted by the magazine's Editors-in-Chief Anna Reser and Leila McNeill and Managing Editor Rebecca Ortenberg. Historians, scientists, and feminists will enjoy the wide variety of topics discussed on the podcast, which range from women's roles in scientific fields such as domestic engineering (Episode 36); women and environmental social movements (Episode 21); how science has affected women through controversies over reproductive rights (Episode 3) and sex verification in sports (Episode 23); and topics from the stranger corners of history and science, such as the odd ways women's bodies have been described by male scientists (Episode 8) and the elision of lesbian relationships as close friendships (Episode 32). The podcast often features notable guests, such as scholar of transgender issues Susan Stryker (June 19, 2018), cosmologist Chanda Prescod-Weinstein (March 8, 2021), science journalist Wendy Zukerman (May 14, 2020), and medical historian Jaipreet Virdi (September 18, 2020). As of this writing, there are more than 40 episodes available to listen to, either on the page linked above or on a number of podcatchers. [RMP]

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Biotechnologists, science communicators, and community organizers focusing on food crises may be interested in Farming Future Bangladesh (FFB), a Dhaka-based initiative that seeks to combat food insecurity in Bangladesh with evidence-based, hands-on action. FFB helps to increase awareness about modern agricultural innovations, such as biotechnologies that allow farmers to grow more nutritious crops, and the social, economic, and environmental benefits of applying innovations. The group seeks to enable communities and farmers to make more science-based decisions regarding their crops, as well as engaging scientists, agriculture officials, faith leaders, media professionals, and youth to work toward future food security for all of Bangladesh. FFB also advocates for policy changes to make Bangladesh's biosafety regulatory system predictable, evidence-driven, and consistent with international best practices. In all decisions and methods, the initiative is guided by a simple motto: "Evidence. Engage. Empower." Readers interested in issues in agriculture and global development may want to check out FFB's Resources (in a drop-down menu), which include a podcast, photo and video library, and policy downloads. The initiative is supported through the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the Cornell Alliance for Science, and Michigan State University. [RMP]

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Researchers, policymakers, and stakeholders interested in issues of food security from a global perspective should check out the resources available from the Center on Global Food and Agriculture. The center is part of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs, a nonprofit, nonpartisan global affairs organization, which since 2009 has annually convened a task force that releases findings and recommendations for tackling challenges in global food security. In addition to these annual reports, the council publishes regionally and topically focused briefs. For instance, the center published a policy brief titled Considering a Soil Initiative for Africa on January 31, 2020. On the page linked above, visitors can take advantage of the center's offerings in three ways. First, readers can click "Research" for policy briefs and reports addressing global agricultural development, food security, and nutrition. These can be searched by keyword or filtered by issue, region, or publication date. Second, the "Commentary & Analysis" section links to a blog, Global Food for Thought, and readers can scroll the page to find a sign-up form to receive email notifications of upcoming events and recent publications (click "Explore All Newsletter Options"). Finally, the "Events" page lists upcoming opportunities for public engagement with experts and leaders in global food security. Readers can connect with the Chicago Council on Global Affairs on Twitter (@ChicagoCouncil) and Facebook and Instagram (@thechicagocouncil for both). [MJZ]

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From the University of Western Australia (UWA), this beginner-level, online course may be of interest to agriculturalists, farmers, and even home gardeners concerned about the environmental impact of growing food. The course is taught by Graeme Martin of UWA, who has not only thoroughly studied agriculture and sustainability, but grew up in a farming family in Western Australia. The course explores eco-friendly farming options, how to implement sustainable farming strategies, and how to ensure that sustainable farming can be profitable anywhere in the world. The course design is based on the idea that a sustainable future requires a multi-disciplinary approach, addressing issues with the agriculture industry, rural communities and infrastructure, the conservation of biodiversity, and more. The course, which requires roughly nine hours to complete, is free to enroll in and has flexible deadlines. It is taught in English, but subtitles are available in Arabic, French, Portuguese (European), Italian, Vietnamese, German, Russian, and Spanish. The course is offered through Coursera. [RMP]

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Women Who Farm Africa is a social enterprise and leadership development program for rural women farmers on the African continent, founded by Slyvia Tetteh, Sussana Teriza Phiri, and Ruramiso Mashumba. Readers interested in issues in agriculture and food systems, such as gender disparities, community organizing, and food insecurity, will be intrigued by its model of supporting and improving the lives of impoverished women farmers, which focuses on providing technology and training to increase productivity and independence and reduce the gender gap in farming. The organization serves women who would otherwise face obstacles to economic and food security that male farmers do not typically encounter and encourages women farmers to invest in their businesses to increase the quantity, quality, and diversity of their goods. To learn more about Women Who Farm Africa's services, which include professional development via formal and peer-to-peer training, facilitation in the application of modern agricultural technologies, and access to domestic and international markets, visitors can click "Services" in the menu at the top of the page. Readers may also want to check out the "Blog" (also in the menu), which features videos of farmers' stories, farming tips, and links to other resources and organizations that partner with farmers. [RMP]

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This publication may be of particular interest to scholars and/or followers of Islam, agriculturalists, and environmentalists, as it is geared toward Muslim farmers in Africa, a region facing agricultural difficulties due to rapid population growth and climate change. Written by humanitarian, author, and Secretary-General at World Muslim Leadership Forum Husna Ahmad, Islamic Farming: A Toolkit for Conservation Agriculture fuses sustainable farming practices and Islamic principles, especially the idea that Muslims should be stewards of the Earth. The guide was developed in association with the U.K.-based charities Global One and the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC). Much of the content is based on agricultural innovations developed by Islamic cultures in the past which are still applicable today, such as water-conserving irrigation methods, crop rotation, agroforestry, and beekeeping. The principles of sustainable farming espoused in the guide are cleanly summarized through its Six Ps: Plan, Prepare, Plant, Provide, Protect, and Produce. Islamic Farming should be an essential manual for educators who seek to inspire and train Muslim farmers on sustainable agriculture. [RMP]

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Last featured in the 10-16-2020 issue of the Scout Report, the Indigenous Food Systems Network provides a resource hub for research and policy on the topic of food sovereignty. Since being featured, the site has added resources for tackling the challenges COVID-19 presents to Indigenous communities.

Created by the Working Group on Indigenous Food Sovereignty, the Indigenous Food Systems Network website serves as a hub for Indigenous food and food sovereignty related resources and research. The network defines Indigenous food sovereignty as "a specific policy approach to addressing the underlying issues impacting Indigenous peoples and our ability to respond to our own needs for healthy, culturally adapted Indigenous foods," and devotes a section of the site to explore this topic (click "Policy Reform" in the menu on the left side of the page linked above). Other topics are linked in that same menu. For example, visitors can prepare a three-course meal using the "Recipes" section, explore seasonal activities in the "Events & Activities" section, and learn about Indigenous leaders and projects via the "Profiles" section. The Explore by Resource Keywords box, found at the bottom of the home page, is a great way to browse content from across the site. These keywords include "Food Sovereignty," "Nutrition," and "Health." Readers should note that some materials on the site are a decade old, but the "What's New" section brings attention to "recent additions to the site." While all readers can view the resources on the site, readers looking to share resources will need to register an account. Instructions on how to do so are found under the "Help" tab. [EMB] [MJZ]

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