HIST 286HGlobal History of Food

Catalog

Food is far more than what we eat- it shapes and helps constitute cultures, economies, environments, and identities across the globe. This course invites students to explore the fundamental role of food in human history, from prehistoric societies to the modern world. While food is essential to life and is universal across cultures, its meanings, functions, availabilities, and values can be remarkably diverse. Why are certain foods cherished in some societies and rejected in others? How did certain local foods become global staples? And why does food insecurity persist even in wealthy nations? Through a comparative and global lens, we will examine how food connects human communities to one another, to other species, and to the environment. Topics include the relationships between food and religion; gender, race, and class; colonialism and imperialism; national identity; changing modes of production and consumption; famine and insecurity; and science and medicine.