COURSE DESCRIPTION
The objective of this course is to examine food in a multitude of perspectives - from social media to politics to sustainability. The purpose of examining food in these varied topics is twofold - to increase individual awareness about the large role of food in our everyday lives, and to create an open and positive dialogue about food from diverse angles.

The two facilitators will begin each class with a presentation introducing the week’s topic. For the rest of the class, we will engage in thought-provoking discussions and activities. Students are welcome (and encouraged!) to introduce their own ideas and materials, as this course cannot cover every topic in depth.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS

Grading (P/NP): 100 points
Attendance (30 points)
Assignments (25 points)
Participation (25 points)
Final project (20 points)

Attendance: Students are allowed up to 2 missed classes with prior notification given to the facilitators. More than 2 missed classes without a makeup assignment results in an NP.

Assignments: Our readings will be emailed out each week. Readings are listed below, but they are subject to change so you will need to check your email on a weekly basis. Every week, you must turn in a half-page personal response to one of the readings. For the other reading, please submit a discussion question. We will use these questions at random to facilitate our in-class discussions.

Some weeks, we may send out a writing prompt to fuel your reading response. Most weeks, however, you can write your personal reaction. Don’t just summarize the article! Please answer the prompts thoughtfully, as they are meant to prepare you to contribute to our discussions. All assignments are submitted in class. No late work will be accepted.

Participation:
Participation involves active and engaged listening and meaningful contributions to discussions and activities. Our class is largely discussion-based, so participation is extremely important to making this class informative and fun.

Final Project:
Groups of 3 will choose a food to bring to class (cooked or store-bought), and prepare a 6 minute presentation that analyzes that food through at least 3 of the lenses we’ve discussed. Potential Lenses: Media, Farming, Gender, American Diets, Politics, Environment, Culture, Fast Food, Malnutrition/Food Disorders, History of Nutrition, Food Science...and many others.