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Food, Environment, and Culture


Course Description

The exploration of many facets of food, emphasizing culture, history, environment, and power. We begin with a foundation of human biology and nutrition, and then move on to the many complex economic, political, and cultural processes that relate to food. We end by exploring food movements and food futures. This course takes particular care to address multicultural and international ideas about food.


Athena Title

Food Environment and Culture


Semester Course Offered

Offered fall


Grading System

A - F (Traditional)


Course Objectives

• To understand the biology of food as related to human nutrition, biology, health, domestication, and environment; • To consider the role of food throughout history, from colonial slavery to modern industrial capitalism; • To explore the importance of food in identity and how that is expressed through ritual; • To analyze how food has been used both to reinforce and to contest forms of social differentiation in the United States and internationally; • To evaluate the implications of your own food choices and practices; • To consider how societal eating and purchasing habits relate to health, environment, power, and sustainability.


Topical Outline

Human Nutrition Nutrition, Body Image, Obesity, and Diabetes Nutrition, Health, and Power Nutrition, Microbial Ecology, Foraging, and Rewilding Taste, Smell, and Memory Domestication and Food Movement Food Symbolism Food and Power: Colonialism Food and Power: Southern Foodways Food and Identity: Region, Nation Food and Identity: Personal Identity Food and Technology, Globalization, and Climate Food Security, Food Sovereignty Tradition, Ritual, Reciprocity, and Feasting Food Movements, and Food Futures