Mar 28, 2024  
2018-2019 College of Liberal Arts (Admitted Fall 2018/Spring 2019) 
    
2018-2019 College of Liberal Arts (Admitted Fall 2018/Spring 2019) [ARCHIVED CATALOG]

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HIST 217 - U.S. Food Cultures

4 credits
Food means different things to different people, at different times, because all food knowledge is cultural and must be learned.  How is that knowledge generated and maintained?  How and why does it change over time?  What is the relationship between food and identity, at a personal and group level?  How can food both foster solidarity and divisiveness?  How is food political?  In addressing these and other questions, we will explore the multiple and sometimes contradictory meanings we attach to food in American culture.  We will explore the symbolic value and meanings of food, with attention to identity categories, such as gender, ethnicity, class, religion, etc.,,m as wekk as meanings at the sites of production, preparation, marketing and consumption.  As an interdisciplinary course, we will explore different approaches to the study of foodways, such as cultureproduction and transmission, relationships to the environment and issues of social justice, and aspects of AMerican history, such as slavery, industrialiation, immigration and globalization.  The class is discussion based, includes outside “food experiences” and gives students Breadth Interdisciplinary, Diversity U.S. and Writing Intensive credit. CLA-Breadth/Interdisciplinary, CLA-Diversity US, CLA-Writing Intensive



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