Hunger: The Biology and Politics of Starvation
“When people are subjected to chronic physical hunger, as well as malnutrition,  they become more susceptible to disease. According to Butterly and Shepherd, as  a result of its effects, chronic hunger becomes the leading cause of death throughout  the world. When there are severe food shortages that lead to an actual breakdown  of society, we call that ‘famine.’ Ultimately, though there are many causes of  starvation or famine (e.g. weather, political conflict or corruption, reliance  on a single crop, etc.), Butterly and Shepherd believe that poverty is the underlying  cause. The rich rarely starve—except, of course, by choice!”—Psychology Today“This new look at hunger examines politics and biology in the context of evolution to determine what role they play in world famine. . . . The political perspective is preceded by a fascinating discussion of evidence that indicated our minds have been shaped by the same evolutionary forces as our bodies. The authors argue that seemingly opposite behaviors of aggression and bond forming (or love) are two sides of the same coin that evolved together as successful survival strategies. . . . while this was certainly a successful strategy a millennia ago, the authors argue that just as our technology has advanced to the point that we have actually reversed Darwinism—we modify our environment to meet our needs and not the other way around—our capacity for moral behavior has also advanced beyond the need for a dichotomy based on the other. What emerges from this study is the compelling argument that our biological processes are inextricably linked with our social and political behavior.”—National Catholic Reporter“Butterly refers to a ‘paradigm shift’ to the idea of a right to food, and explores  the interaction of starvation and poverty. The authors go to extraordinary lengths  to offer clear definitions and explanations. . . . Essential.”—Choice“Authors John Butterly and Jack Shepherd advance a most interesting perspective on the biological basis for individual and political behavior, a perspective often lacking in any of the political science books covering the behavior of policy-makers. . . . Hunger: The Biology and Politics of Starvation should be required reading for students, researchers, and project implementers with an interest in hunger alleviation, irrespective of their disciplinary background. With an emphasis on the interaction between biology and politics, the authors provide a constructive, evidence-based, and comprehensive analysis of hunger in all its dimensions.”— JAMA, Journal of the American Medical Association