Social Systems and Issues: FOOD & CULTURE
Honors Breadth Social Sciences, HNR 1340 (freshman), 3 Credit Hours
Dr. Sarah Gordon
Utah State University
Honors Program
Dr. Christie Fox, Director
Course Description: This interdisciplinary course explores the complex roles of food and consumption in western and non-western cultures from pre-history to the present day, using socio-historical, developmental, and comparative approaches. Food and foodways are universal aspects of the human experience, across time and geographical boundaries. Class investigates the relation of food to changing and static cultural values, beliefs, attitudes, rituals, and practices. We eat and consider how foods, such as chocolate, sugar, potatoes, and insects have had an impact on different societies and cultures. We discuss current world events and issues related to food and hunger, health and disease. Past enrollment 20-50.
Texts:
Book: Tannahill, Food in History.
E-mail: Weekly News Alerts on Food Topics. Students must sign up at:
CNN http://www.cnn.com/youralerts/, and BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/
Other required readings, short excerpts from books, and journal articles are listed below and available on Library Electronic Reserve.
Syllabus
| Date | Topic |
| 10 Jan |
Introduction to the Course , Discussion of food issues today Book Intro. xv-38 |
| 12 Jan |
What is culture? Excerpt, Kuper The Anthropologist’s Cookbook |
| 17 Jan |
Prehistory, “Raw vs. Cooked” Excerpt Claude Lévi-Strauss, The Raw and the Cooked: Mythologiques |
| 19 Jan |
Meat, Beef, and the Expansion of the American West Article Willard, “The American Story of Meat: Discursive Practices on Cultural Eating Practice,” Journal of Popular Culture |
| 24 Jan |
Hunting, debates and critical discussion of readings Article Cartmill “Hunting and Humanity in Western Thought,” Social Resarch. Book 118-122, 45-86 |
| 26 Jan |
The Salt of the Earth Book 177-80, 174-181, Excerpt Kurlansky Salt: A World History |
| 31 Jan |
Chocolate and (Post) colonialism Excerpt, Coe True History of Chocolate |
|
2 Feb |
Hunger and Social Issues, group discussion on readings, video on hunger Two recent newspaper articles on hunger, copies distributed in class |
| 6 Feb |
Sacred Foods and Taboos, Cannibalism, Documentary Film clips: Keep the River on Your Right: A Modern Cannibal Tale 1999 Article, Petersen “Great Apes as Food,” Gastronomica |
| 9 Feb |
Entomophagy: Insects, Survival and Spectacle. Bug eating in class! Book 105-115, 211-214 |
| 16 Feb |
Corn, Agricultural developments and problems Excerpt Kneen, Farmageddon: Food and the Culture of Biotechnology, Book 124-140, 202-208, 281-303 |
| 21 Feb | Food Industry Guest Speaker: Rep. from Aggie Ice Cream / USU Dairies |
| 23 Feb |
Potatoes and famine, group problem solving exercise and discussion Jonathan Swift, “A Modest Proposal,” Excerpt Zuckerman The Potato: The Humble Spud That Saved the World, Book 214-218, 347-371 |
| 28 Feb | MIDTERM EXAM |
| 2 Mar |
“I’m Loving It” Food and advertising, marketing discussion |
| 6 Mar |
Food and Television, FoodTV clips and discussion Article Adema, “Vicarious Consumption: Food, Television, and the Ambiguity of Modernity,” Journal of American Culture |
| 9 Mar | Library Research Instruction on Social Sciences and Food Resources |
| 13-16 Mar |
Spring Break |
| 21 Mar |
Documentary Film: Supersize Me 2004 Excerpt, Schlosser Fast Food Nation: Dark Side of the American Meal |
| 23 Mar |
Documentary Film: Supersize Me Continued, Discussion of film and Fast Food Nation Article Boym “My McDonald’s,” Gastronomica, Book 141-146, 252-79 |
| 28 Feb |
France Today: la gastronomie vs. le fast food Book 218-223, 230-251 |
| 30 Mar |
Breaking Bread Book 51-3 |
| 4 April |
Fish: exploration, trade, slavery, technology, tradition Book 147-151, 332-346, 224-228 Excerpt, Kurlansky Cod: A Biography of the Fish that Changed the World |
| 6 April | Table Manners, Artifacts and Rituals Excerpt Visser The Rituals of Dinner. Article Banerji, “The Bengali Bonti,” Gastronomica |
| 11 April | Library Special Collections: Rare Cookbooks Collection Visit |
| 13 April |
Cultural Documents: Cookbooks, Recipes, Cooking Shows, Celebrity Chefs Book 246-247 |
| 18 April |
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice Excerpts, Turner Spice: The History of a Temptation |
| 20 April |
Food as Medicine and Menace: food-borne illness, disease, social issues CDC website info, Excerpt Diamond, Guns, Germs, and Steel |
| 25 April | FINAL PAPER DUE. In-class presentations and discussion of paper topics. |
| 27 April |
Conclusions. In-class discussion of paper topics. Review for Final Exam Article Miner “Body Ritual Among the Nacirema,” American Anthropologist 1956 |
| 2 May | FINAL EXAM |
Grading policies:
10% Participation in in-class discussion, group work/field trip tasks, preparation
25% Paper and oral presentation on a food
30% Midterm Exam
35% Final Exam
Exams: Exams are short answers and choice of essays covering lectures, readings. Review sessions are offered by our Honors UTF fellow (TA) before each exam.
Paper: Required 1 research essay, length 7-8 full pages, plus bibliography, with minimum 6 scholarly sources on one specific food of your choice that is not listed on syllabus. Students should choose one perspective and theoretical framework based on the methods of sociology, political science, history, or anthropology that we have used in class. Meeting with professor to discuss topic required. Our visits to the library will highlight interdisciplinary resources helpful in the study of food in culture. Project will culminate in a short presentation of research topic in class and question-and-answer session with classmates. Further details on expectations for the paper, useful on-line resources, and an introduction to various Social Sciences research methods will be given in class.
Participation: This course encourages active learning. Voluntary active verbal participation is expected in class discussions and group discussions/group work.
Social: Evening social with ethnic food, music, and cultural activities (optional).
Food in Class: Foods discussed are served on occasion (chocolate, insects, etc.) Please let the instructor know if you have food allergies or dietary restrictions.