The Indiana University Maurer School of Law and its Indiana Journal of Global Legal Studies are hosting scholars from around the country Friday and Saturday (Jan. 19-20) for an interdisciplinary discussion on one of the world’s most prevalent problems—food insecurity.
Data from the World Bank estimate more than 780 million people around the world suffered from chronic hunger in 2022. As climate change affects agricultural production and water accessibility, the problem could worsen in coming years.
“A Fragile Framework: How Global Food Systems Intersect with the International Legal Order, the Environment, and the World’s Populations” will bring together legal, policy, and environmental experts for a two-day event discussing sustainable solutions to the growing issue.

Jayanth Krishnan, the Milt and Judi Stewart Professor of Law, director of the Law School’s Stewart Center on the Global Legal Profession, and IJGLS faculty editor said Indiana University is home to deep expertise in law and environmental and public policy. With the Law School’s strength in law and society and its global connections—many through the Stewart Center—it was a natural place to host the event.
“This symposium brings together a world-class group of interdisciplinary scholars who are focusing on the issue of how to provide food access to the most vulnerable populations in the U.S. and around the globe,” said. “It is a particularly timely discussion given the recent 28th UN Climate Conference of the Parties in the United Arab Emirates, where one of the key aspects of discussion was the intersection of food insecurity, climate change, and law and policy.”
The symposium schedule includes sessions on “Exploring Food Systems, Sustainability, and Societal Implications;” “Reflecting on Issues Relating to Human Health, Food Insecurity, and Biodiversity, Broadly Defined;” “Imagining Innovative Environmentalism and/or Energy Sources and the Intersection with Justice and Human Rights;” and “Food Distribution, Resource Struggles, and the Role of Civil Society in Comparative Perspective.”
Participants will present works-in-progress and collect feedback from the group. The resulting articles will be published in a future edition of the IJGLS. Scheduled to participate are:
- Deborah Widiss, Rob Fischman, Christiana Ochoa, and Krishnan (IU Maurer School of Law)
- Shellye Suttles and James Farmer (IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs)
- Eduardo Brondizio (IU Department of Anthropology)
- Michael Roberts (UCLA)
- Alexia Brunet Marks (Colorado)
- Michael Barsa (Northwestern Pritzker School of Law)
- Laurie Beyranevand (Vermont Law and Graduate Schoool)
- Tammi Etheridge (Washington and Lee University School of Law)
- Smita Narula (Pace University Elisabeth Haub School of Law)
- Amy Cohen (Temple University Beasley School of Law)
- Vitor Martin-Dias (Butler University)
- Allison Korn (Duke University School of Law)