Magical Beans: A Global History of Coffee, 16th century to Present

(4 Credits)

Coffee is one of the most important global commodities. In the U.S. alone, over 70% of the population consumes coffee and those consumers spend over $100 billion per year on coffee products. But what can this important agricultural commodity tell us about the human past? This course will examine the global history of coffee through the lenses of labor, religion, social movements, economics and more. Our class discussions and readings will span the globe from the 16th century to present. Readings for this course are drawn from a variety of primary and secondary sources and include travel narratives, legal codes, proverbs, and scholarly journal articles and books.