Acclaimed author Frances Moore Lappé was awarded an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree today (Nov. 8) from Indiana University and the Paul H. O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, recognizing her distinguished contributions in civic life and public policy.
“With vision ahead of her time, Frances Moore Lappé has dedicated her life to changing how we think about food and the environment,” said O’Neill School Dean Siân Mooney. “Frances not only urges others to make the world a better place, but she also lives this action every single day. It’s the honor of the O’Neill School to award this degree to someone who is such a role model for our students.”
Lappé graduated from Earlham College in Richmond, Indiana, in 1966. Five years later, she published her first of 20 books, Diet for a Small Planet, for which she is most well-known. In the book, Lappé advocated for a vegetarian lifestyle, citing the environmental impact of meat production as a contributor to global food scarcity. Her most recent work, It’s Not Too Late! Crisis, Opportunity, and the Power of Hope, details how society can meet the climate crisis. Lappé’s books have been translated into 15 languages, evidence of her global audience.
“When Frances wrote Diet for a Small Planet in 1971, everybody was concerned about population explosion and how there wouldn’t be enough food. But she explained that how people eat affects the planet, and it can appear there are shortages when, in fact, there is plenty of food,” said O’Neill Distinguished Professor Lisa Blomgren Amsler. “Starting then and continuing throughout a remarkable career, Frances made use of her unique ability to see patterns and identify how human behavior can influence outcomes, and then use this knowledge for the greater good.”
Lappé is a co-founder of the Small Planet Institute, an organization working to ensure all communities are thriving with dignity. She is a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award (often called the alternative Nobel Prize) for her work tackling world hunger and the James Beard Foundation Humanitarian of the Year Award for lifelong research on food and agriculture.
Indiana University and the O’Neill School will award her 20th honorary degree, the highest academic recognition Indiana University can bestow. Those awarded this degree have demonstrated public service to the world, made a visible contribution to the development of society, and serve as a model for present and future generations.
Additionally, while in Bloomington, Lappé will share her insight and scholarship with the community as part of Indiana University’s Patten Lecture Series with public engagements on both November 9 and 11, 2021.
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