Foodways for the Anthropocene

Catalog description

How can changing our diets play a role in saving planet Earth? What does food production contribute to climate change? Did the Anthropocene begin with the industrial revolution, or is it part of the longer history of agricultural development? This course examines relationships among food, technology, and society, paying special attention to the impact of foodways on anthropogenic environmental change. Combining global perspectives from public policy, history, and environmental studies, the course explores the evolution and long-term security of food production, cooking technologies, and livelihood strategies in China, the UAE, Nepal, and the western United States. Units will address the history and evolution of food staples like soy, wheat, rice, corn, potatoes, and peanuts; the political economy of meat production; and the promise and perils of technocratic solutions to global food security, especially with regard to pesticides/fertilizers, industrialized farming, and energy use. Along with reading and discussion, students will grow, forage, and shop for food, cook and eat meals, and collaborate on the design and development of an NYU Abu Dhabi cookbook for the future.