Thorns Have Roses

Coffee: the world in your cup

Anurag Papolu and Christina Li

In this episode, we talk about the modern history of coffee, its relationship with the environment and the people who grow it, and how all this affects the coffee we drink. 

We speak to Dr. Stuart McCook, professor of world history at the University of Guelph in Canada.  He is also the author of "Coffee Is Not Forever: A Global History of the Coffee Leaf Rust,” which is about the global coffee industry and how it was affected by a serious disease called coffee leaf rust.

What is the impact of globalization and climate change on coffee growers and the plant itself, and how is it all connected in today's world?