Food and Foodways in the Americas

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This advanced elective seminar explores the cultures and politics of the Americas through the study of their foodways, analyzing culinary traditions as vital intersections of history, anthropology, literature, and science. By engaging with a wide variety of North and Latin American texts, films, and other visual materials, we will develop a theoretical framework to interrogate how the kitchen and the table serve as spaces where national identities, social hierarchies, and ancestral legacies are both preserved and contested. Students will undertake creative and intellectual projects to examine how the meeting of food and culture informs large social categories such as cosmopolitanism, regionalism, and the diverse lived experiences of those who produce and consume these traditions. Throughout the semester, we will trace a chronological timeline from pre-Conquest foundations to modern national cuisines, while simultaneously addressing contemporary debates regarding taste, authenticity, and food sovereignty. Our inquiry is further enriched by guest speakers from both the academic and local communities. A central highlight of this course, open to both Glynn Family Honors students and Spanish majors/supplementary majors, is an optional Fall break trip to Puebla, Mexico. This excursion offers a hands-on look at one of the continent's most significant culinary hubs. Students must apply to the instructor to participate in this course.