Land Grant University Participants’ Eurocentric Attitudes about Agriculture: An Ideological Constraint to Achieving the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development

Abstract

Socio-cultural Eurocentric views about agriculture may diminish educational efforts to globalize the curricula at land grant institutions in the United States of America. While many U.S. inhabitants have historical and/or cultural ties to Europe, the modern U.S. agricultural industry is dependent upon contributions from diverse agricultural origins. Recognizing ideological origins in agriculture helps educators prepare curricula and teach others through inclusive and equitable education that is consistent with the goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The purpose of this study was to explore postsecondary students’ and employees’ Eurocentric attitudes about agriculture at a large southern U.S. land grant university. A cross-sectional design and random samples constituted the study population. Eurocentric attitudes existed primarily among undergraduate students and staff members. Respondents with family actively engaged in agriculture and those enrolled in the college of agriculture had stronger levels of Eurocentric beliefs, as did respondents with at least one previous international experience. Efforts to lessen Eurocentric attitudes about agriculture are needed in postsecondary education. Additional study of the origins of belief systems and factors affecting attitudinal formation may provide useful insights for replacing outdated ideals and achieving cognitive consistency in understanding the global agricultural industry.