Folklore of Food

Harvard FAS

A comparative study of what and how food and activities related to food "mean" in a variety of cultures, as reflected in folklore and oral tradition. Lectures, discussion, and readings will address issues such as: the ritualization of food and cooking in both sacred and secular settings; the symbolic prominence of food -- its preparation, distribution, and consumption -- in mythologies; fears and anxieties related to food as reflected in "urban legends"; food taboos…