It is impossible to fully understand a culture's history without
studying its food. Examination of the complex relationship
between food and cultures. Specifically, how people have
produced, prepared, and preserved food and the effects on
cultures, national and international politics, social
interactions, economics, and the environment.
Athena Title
Food in History and Culture
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student Learning Outcomes
Students will describe the impact of food production and the migration of food and food preservation practices through history from local cultures to multicultural environments.
Students will explain how food supply, culinary traditions, and food processing has impacted human cultural exchange, health, politics, urbanization, the environment, and legal systems.
Students will discuss how the evolution of food technology has impacted our food choices and culture.
Students will analyze the symmetry between access to safe and abundant food and the abundance and complexity of cultural outputs.
Topical Outline
The beginnings of agriculture and its impact on culture
Dimensions of food security
Historical famines and today’s food challenges around the world
Moving food around the world: Cause and consequences
Nutrition, diet, and lifestyle; the role of education
Food maps of the world through history
Foodborne pathogens that shaped civilizations
Cooking’s role in civilizations
Canning of foods
Pasteurization of foods
Fermentation – alcoholic beverages
Fermentation – non-alcoholic beverages/foods
Curing of meats and history of the U.S. meat packing industry
Commodities: coffee, tea, and cocoa
International foods and their impact on cultures
General Education Core
CORE IV: World Languages and Global Culture
Institutional Competencies
Social Awareness & Responsibility
The capacity to understand the interdependence of people, communities, and self in a global society.
