Food is a topic that every student, no matter his\/her background, has personal experience; it is so common that its cultural connotations tend to be overlooked. Among North Americans of Asian descent, this is often the one area that there is a strong identity, whether positive or negative, of one\u2019s ancestry. Asian foods, in particular, Chinese, have been popular since the turn of the 20th century and Thai and Indian cuisines have become increasingly so. These cuisines are not just about sustenance but about cultural symbols that bind together people<\/strong> in ritual and to a community. How one participates in the act of eating, and when certain foods are to be prepared are learned and understood at the table. In the North American context, Thanksgiving has an established food tradition; there are similar established food-related traditions among other populations, such as, the lunar new year, or Easter.<\/p>\n The course will initially explore the general topic of food and culture to present a background in which to discuss the specifics of identity and meaning. The role of food<\/strong> will be examined in several different communities. Film clips will be used as an entr\u00e9e to discussing specific topics, such as, festivals\/rituals, food as family\/community. The identification of food\u2019s importance in culture is increasingly recognized by the numerous food publications available and not just cookbooks.<\/p>\n Instruction is through online delivery (zoom and VIULearn<\/a>). BE PREPARED TO PARTICIPATE VIRTUALLY!<\/strong> For this reason, students are expected to keep up with their readings; read in advance. The grade will be based on participation<\/a> (20%), food journal “diary”<\/a> (5%), opinion piece<\/a> (5%), food memory story<\/a> (10%), cookbook analysis<\/a> (15%), and research project<\/a> (25%). There will be one exam<\/a> (20%). Written assignments will be submitted online through VIULearn. There is no final exam.<\/p>\n Not attending an exam or submitting an assignment will result in an \u201cF\u201d; your final grade is based on completing ALL course work.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Learning Objectives:<\/strong><\/p>\n Required texts:<\/strong> Belasco, Warren. 2008. Food: The Key Concepts<\/em>. New York, NY: Berg.<\/p>\n Child, Julia (with Alex Prud\u2019homme). 2006. My Life in France<\/em>. New York, NY: Anchor Books.<\/p>\n Iacovetta, Franca, Marlene Epp and Valerie Joyce Korinek, eds. 2012. Edible Histories, Cultural Politics: Towards a Canadian Food History<\/em>. Toronto, ON: University of Toronto Press. [eBook1<\/a>, eBook2<\/a><\/span>]<\/p>\n Morais, Richard C. <\/strong>2010. The Hundred-Foot Journey<\/em>. New York, NY: Scribner. [READ FOR EXAM]<\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Please read assigned chapters prior to the week\u2019s class to facilitate discussion.<\/p>\n\n
\nAs there is no one absolute book written on this topic, readings will be from several sources. A list of book titles and web resources is available (online) to assist students in further exploring certain food topics.<\/p>\n