Food, Culture, and Public Health

3 units

This course explores the intersection of food, culture, nutrition, and health, offering students a look at how food practices shape and are shaped by cultural forces. We begin by learning about the social construction of cuisines, including how social inequality shapes cuisine. We then examine dietary restrictions like lactose intolerance, veganism, avoidance of beef in India, and kashrut. Next, we explore diverse health beliefs about food and the challenges of cross-cultural nutrition advice, including how unintended consequences can occur. Students will then study successful nutrition interventions, including the promotion of traditional Indigenous foodways in Peru and similar efforts in the U.S. These examples will illustrate the importance of culturally appropriate public health efforts for diet. Throughout the semester, students will engage with guest speakers and will take turns leading class discussions. Optional field trips to local restaurants will offer a hands-on experience of the cuisines studied in class, further enhancing students' understanding of food systems in diverse cultural contexts.