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Food and Culture (070:380)
Fall 2006
Dr. Sheila
Cosminsky
cosminsk@camden.rutgers.edu
This
course, Food and Culture, attempts to describe and analyze a number of
gastronomic domains from an anthropological perspective. We will be interested
not only in what people eat, but how, when, where and why people eat some
foods but not others.
Theoretically, the kitchen of any society (this would include a vending
machine or fast food restaurant in our own) serves as an important source
for cultural information We will consider methodologies that will enable
us to examine food in its cultural context. Practically, any statement
about the nutritional value of food should be seen in light of its cultural
values. As we know from our own society, despite all our knowledge about
nutrition, people continue to eat foods that are nutritionally lacking.
The same happens in many societies, for one reason or another, and we
should examine the reasons why it happens.
The course will begin with a consideration of the evolution of mankind’s
diet and the development of different food production systems, from both
an evolutionary perspective and contemporary one. There will be examples
from a variety of cultures including foraging (hunting and gathering),
agricultural, pastoralism and industrialized societies, including the
United States.In these cases, we will examine the foods people eat, the
reasons they select these foods, the society’s methods of food production,
the relation of the food system to the ecosystem, and the cultural and
social functions of foods. This is not a nutrition course - although we
will be looking at some of the nutritional implications of various food
practices as well as their social and cultural significance.
The course will also consider the manner in which food may be viewed in
its cultural and social context and will include food classification systems,
food and ethnic identity, and the symbolic use of food. How do people
define food? What is “edible”? What is a meal? How do people
manipulate food exchanges to build social status? What is the meaning
of food taboos?
The final section of the course will look at some of the recent dietary
changes both in the United States and in developing countries, global
food issues, such as world hunger and famine, and the politics of food
and nutrition policies.
Required Texts:
Bryant, C. et al - The Cultural Feast: An Introduction to Food and Society (2nd Ed.)
Dettwyler, Kathryn - Dancing SkeletonsRecommended Texts:
Schlosser, Eric - Fast Food NationArticles on Reserve: (will be on Electronic Reserve or on Reserve at the library)
Gillespie - "A Wilderness in the Megalopolis..."
Douglas - "Abominations of Leviticus
Harris - "India's Sacred Cow"
Douglas - "Deciphering a Meal"
Goode, et al. - Italian-AmericansExaminations:
There will be a midterm including all lectures, readings and films up to that date. There will also be a final exam including all the material since the midrem. (Each exam will count at %35 of your grade.)
Class Participation:
Participating in class is important, and it will count toward your final grade.Writing Assignments:
Project 1: Food in Your Life Journal: Maintain a personal journal of the foods eaten and the contexts in which they were consumed for one week. Note the kinds of food, the times they were consumed, what activity accompanied food consumption and the social context -- what kinds of interactions occurred. The journal will thus have both lists of foods and observations or commentaries. Details will be provided in class. DUE Oct. 16th - (10% of the grade)
Project 2: Students must do an analysis of "food as an ethnographic event," based on their observations of a food event, such as a meal, feast, restaurant, supermarket, food processions, food movement, health food store, Italian/China Town/Reading Terminal Market, etc. Details will be provided in class. Paper should be 3-5 pages, double space and typed. Ethnography DUE Dec. 4th - (20% of the grade)
