APFS-200: Applied Food Studies

This course is designed to introduce students to foundational issues and contemporary concerns in food studies, an interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary field that explores the social, cultural, historical, and political aspects of food and eating. The course also provides a survey of the liberal arts, which form the core of a well-rounded college education. Applied Food Studies will give students a better understanding of the field of food studies as a whole. Food studies theories and concepts will be put into practice through the readings, course exercises, and research practice. The readings and assignments are designed to develop and hone the skills of critical thinking, problem solving, and inquiry and analysis that are the hallmarks of a classic liberal arts education, and also necessary for engaged participation as a global citizen of the 21st century. By the end of class, students will be better prepared to find and evaluate information, ask smart questions, and articulate clear, nuanced arguments about food and its relationship and value to our lives.