GLOBAL 10B

Few things are more important to the existence of humanity than food and drink. Aside from making human life possible, food and drink have generated multiple waves of cultural and political activity throughout human history, some of it celebratory, some of it contentious, and all of it infinitely interesting. This course will explore the many ways that food and drink are intertwined with culture and politics, in the past and in the present. Drawing on examples from all around the world, we will discuss, among other things, the ways that governments try to control the circulation of food and drink; the different cultural rituals associated with food and drink; the claims of cultural ownership over specific types of food and drink; and the representation of food and drink through art, film, and literature. After taking this course, you’ll never look at what’s on your plate or what’s in your glass the same way again.