FOOD IN HUMAN AFFAIRS
Anthropology 286, Fall 1999
University of Michigan
Lecture: Tue., Thurs. 1-2:30 p.m.
Angell Hall Aud. B
JUMP TO:
Professor Richard I. Ford
Office Hours: Tue, Thur. 8:30-12 Location: 1228 Angell (Honors Office)
Other times by appointment
Telephone: 936-2952
E-mail: riford@umich.edu
Graduate Student Instructor
Shannon Lee Dawdy
Office: 2052, LSA
Office Hours: Thur. 2:30-4:30; Other times by appointment
Telephone: 313/764-7274
E-mail: sdawdy@umich.edu
This course examines food from all perspectives of anthropology-archaeology, biology, cognition, ethnology, and development. Although it will draw heavily on several additional other fields, it is not a nutrition, geography, history, or natural resource class. It is the anthropology of food.
Food is a cultural construction. Not all locally available edible plants or animals are consumed by every culture nor are those that are classified as food consumed by each member of a society. What is food is not self-evident and is determined by each culture. Each culture, in turn, determines who will harvest or produce a food (GENDER), how it will be prepared (TECHNOLOGY), and who will consume it (SOCIAL ORGANIZATION). All cultures obviously do not eat the same things and why some do and some don’t eat specific items needs to be examined to understand world history and human interactions.
This course is an outgrowth of a 1996 theme semester about food. As a participant, I was surprised how few professors and students knew the place of origin of many our common foods and the history of their movement throughout the world. This is sad because in a multicultural world and one with marked ethnic distinctions, it is important that we credit other cultures for their contributions to world knowledge and intellectual development. Domesticated plants and animals are cultural artifacts; they are produced by human selection and preserved by cultural codification. To be naive about such things is a latent form of cultural racism when it is assumed that other cultures had no role in the transformation of the modern world. Furthermore, many people identify other cultures on the basis of their food patterns, for good but unfortunately, often for worse. To enjoy "ethnic food" is not the same as appreciating other cultures.
This course will examine aspects of biology and culture. The biological side will consider the human biological need for food, the amount required for a healthy life, and health problems when it is not adequate. It will also concern the genetic transformations that were involved in the domestication of plants and animals and the ecological distribution of foodstuffs around the world. On the cultural side, it will analyze how people select food from nature, how they make it edible, how they combine it into meals, and how they use it as power over others. The diffusion of different foods is an on-going process in human history since the Neolithic. We will examine the archaeological evidence for the beginnings of the domestication of many plants and animals, their subsequent history, and their role in human history, including slavery and other consequences of colonialism, the Irish potato famine, and population explosions in various parts of the world. To understand the place of food in human affairs is to appreciate the dual interactions of biology and culture.
In Lecture and your Sections you will be exposed to new foods. Samples will be available to try and examples of many types will be available for examination and tasting. (Voluntary by you). Many will form the bases for Section discussions and exercises. The course will employ a number of media to enhance learning-- slides, videos, the internet, class demonstrations, and food samples will be used to further understanding and appreciation of this complex subject.
Textbooks: (At Shaman Drum)
Harris, Marvin 1998 GOOD TO EAT, RIDDLES OF FOOD AND CULTURE. Waveland Press, Inc.
Smith, Bruce D. 1998 THE EMERGENCE OF AGRICULTURE. Scientific American library.
Toussaint-Samat, Maguelonne 1997 HISTORY OF FOOD. Blackwell Publishers. Malden, MA.
Coursepack: Readings from the Internet (Be certain that you have your computer account updated)
Our class Web page: http://www.umich.edu/~anth286
It has links to numerous articles that you will read. You should open the New York Times home page (http://www.nytimes.com) and register (free!) to enable you to read food articles in it.
Requirements and Grading:
Section Participation - 25%
Attendance in Sections is required. They are an important part of the course and will include exercises and written projects that supplement the lectures and readings.
Examinations (3 at 25% each)- 75%
There will be three one-hour examinations, each in class. There will be no final exam. Examples of the questions we asked on last year’s examinations are on our class Web page.
Course List E-mail: The class is connected electronically and messages can be sent to the entire class. When Shannon or Dr. Ford have information to share quickly, they will use the class list e-mail. Similarly, if we receive questions from members of the class, when appropriate we will send our reply to the class as a whole. You are encouraged to communicate accordingly.
COURSE SCHEDULE OF LECTURES AND READINGS
September 9: COURSE ORGANIZATION
INTRODUCTION: WHAT IS FOOD?
Read: Harris, Chapt. 1
September 14: HOW DO HUMANS CREATE FOOD?
FOOD AND SOCIAL POWER
FOOD TABOOS
Read: History of Food, pp.9-14, 56-88; 367-384
Smith, Chapt. 1
September 16: THE BIOLOGICAL DIMENSION: WHY DO HUMANS NEED FOOD?
http://www.ag.uiuc.edu/~food-lab/nat/
WHAT KINDS?
THE "CAVEMAN’S" DIET http://www.nutritionsciencenews.com/NSN_backs/Apr_97/paleolithic.html
Read: Harris, Chapt. 2
September 21: THE CULTURAL TRANSFORMATION OF NATURE
DOMESTICATION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS
Dogs
SOCIO-HISTORICAL DIMENSIONS: DIFFUSION OF DOMESTICATION
Read: Smith, Chapter 2, 3
Harris, Chapt. 9
WWW: http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/gepts/pb143/lec01/pb143l01.htm
(may be temporarily off-line) http://agronomy.ucdavis.edu/gepts/pb143/lec12/pb143l12.htm
September 23: MIDDLE EASTERN ANIMALS: LIVE ANIMAL AND DEAD ANIMAL STRATEGIES OF USE AND PRODUCTION
SHEEP AND GOATS, PIGS, CATTLE
CAMELS, HORSES
Read: Smith, pp. 48-67
Harris, Chapts. 3, 7
History of Food, pp. 89-124; 407-442
September 28: WESTERN HEMISPHERE DOMESTICATED ANIMALS
DOGS, LLAMAS, GUINEA PIGS, TURKEYS
Read: Smith, pp. 175-178
WWW: http://www.llamapaedia.com/origin/domestic.html
OTHER ANIMAL PROTEIN
CHICKENS
DUCKS
INSECTS
FISH
Read: Smith, pp. 138-140
Harris, Chapt. 8
History of Food, pp. 291-407
September 30: MIDDLE EASTERN CEREALS
WHEAT
BARLEY
OATS, RYE
Read: Smith, pp. 68-89
History of Food, 125-152; 177-195; 223-242
October 5: DOMESTICATED CEREALS OF ASIA AND AFRICA
MILLETS
ASIAN RICE
AFRICAN RED RICE
NORTH AMERICAN WILD RICE
Read: Smith, pp. 106-143
History of Food, 152-164
WWW: http://www.riceweb.org/History.htm
October 7: MAIZE
Read: Smith, pp. 144-160; 201-205
History of Food, pp. 164-176
WWW: http://www.ukans.edu/~hoopes/506/Lectures/Maize.html
http://farma.qfb.umich.mx/maize0.htm (open all windows)
October 12: FIRST EXAMINATION-ONE HOUR
VIDEO: Corn and Culture
October 14: ROOT CROPS
Andean Potatoes
Sweet Potatoes
Yams
Manioc
Taro, etc.
Read: Smith, pp. 170-181
History of Food, pp. 711-728
October 19: LEGUMES
Lentils
Peas
Common beans
African Beans
Read: Smith, pp. 67, 90-106, 160-163;
History of Food, pp. 39-56
October 21: CONFECTIONS AND SWEETS
HONEY
BANANAS
SUGAR CANE
COCONUT
MAPLE SUGAR
Read: Smith, pp. 141-143;
History of Food, pp. 15-39;547-574
WWW: http://www.foodsci.uoguelph.ca/dairyedu/ichist.html
(also link to ice cream cone)
October 26: KITCHEN GARDENS
LEAF VEGETABLES
Read: History of Food, pp. 688-707
October 28: "FRUIT" VEGETABLES
Avocado
Squashes and Pumpkins
Chile peppers
Tomatoes
Okra
Eggplant
Read: Smith, pp. 163-170;
History of Food, pp. 707-709
FRUITS
Tree
Bush
Other-grapes
Nuts
Read: History of Food, pp. 247-290; 621-687
November 2: SPICES AND CONDIMENTS
Read: History of Food, pp. 443-546
WWW: http://www.mccormick.com/retail.nsf/ (open Spice Info; then Spice and Herb Descriptions; then Spice & Herb Info; then each spice)
VEGETABLE OILS
Olive
Sunflower
Cottonseed
Read: History of Food, pp. 205-222
November 4: SECOND EXAMINATION-ONE HOUR
VIDEO: Japanese Tea Ceremony
November 9: BEVERAGES
Tea
Coffee
Cocoa
Coke
Fermentation and Distillation
Read: History of Food, pp.574-607
WWW: http://gnome.agrenv.mcgill.ca/breeding/students/max/choco/domest.htm
http://geocities.com/~9145/coffee/coffee_history.html
(link back to Coffee Pot)
http://stashtea.com/teafaq.htm
November 11: SOCIAL COMPLEXITY AND THE STATE
ETHNOGASTRONOMY - FOOD AND ETHNICITY
VIDEO: Patterns of Subsistence: The Food Producers
Read: Smith, pp. 206-214
November 16: FOOD COMPLEXES
Asian
Middle Eastern
Mediterranean
Europe
VIDEO: Wok Cooking
Read: Harris, Chapt. 4, 5
November 18: FOOD COMPLEXES
African
Pacific
American
Read: Harris, Chapt. 6
November 23: THE UNITED STATE FOOD COMPLEX
Soul Food
WWW: http://www.foxhome.com/soulfood/htmls/soulfood.html
FAST FOODS
WWW: http://www.olen.com/food/book.html
THE ART OF SNACKING
FOOD AND THE NEW WORLD ORDER
November 30: NEW FOODS FOR A HUNGRY PLANET
"FORGOTTEN" FOODS
VIDEO: Seeds of Tomorrow
Read: Smith, pp. 180-201
WWW: http://www.scs.leeds.ac.uk/pfaf/index.html (open all links)
December 2: "NEW FOODS" AND POPULATION CRISES
HEALTH AND FAMINES
Diabetes
Read: Harris, Chapts. 10, 11
History of Food, pp. 729-763
December 7: FOOD AND THE IMAGE OF SELF
FOOD AND SOCIAL REPRESSION
December 9: THIRD EXAMINATION
Course evaluation
Additional Reading Suggestions ( Not required)
Anderson, Jean
1997 THE AMERICAN CENTURY COOKBOOK. Clarkson Potter, New York.
Barer-Stein, Thelma
1979 YOU EAT WHAT YOU ARE, A STUDY OF ETHNIC FOOD TRADITIONS.
McClelland and Stewart, Toronto.
Beardsworth, Alan and Teresa Keil
1997 SOCIOLOGY ON THE MENU. Routledge, London.
Coe, Sophie D.
1994 AMERICA’S FIRST CUISINES. University of Texas Press, Austin.
Counihan, Carole and Penny Van Esterik
1997 FOOD AND CULTURE, A READER. Routledge, London.
Eaton, S. Boyd, Marjorie Shostak, and Melvin Konner
1988 THE PALEOLITHIC PRESCRIPTION: a PROGRAM OF DIET & EXERCISE AND A
DESIGN FOR LIVING. Harper & Row
McIntosh, Wm. Alex
1996 SOCIOLOGIES OF FOOD AND NUTRITION. Plenum.
Mintz, Sidney W.
1996 TASTING FOOD, TASTING FREEDOM. Beacon Press, Boston.
Renfrew, Jane, ed.
1991 NEW LIGHT ON EARLY FARMING: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN
PALAEOETHNOBOTANY. Edinburgh University Press
Robson, J.R.K.
1980 FOOD, ECOLOGY AND CULTURE, READINGS IN THE ANTHROPOLOGY OF DIETARY PRACTICES. Gordon and Breach Science Publishers.
Smith, Nigel J. H., J.T. Wiliams, Donald L. Plucknett, Jennifer P. Talbot
1992 TROPICAL FORESTS AND THEIR CROPS. Cornell University Press, Itheca.
Tannahill, Realy
1989 FOOD IN HISTORY. Crown Publishers, Inc. New York.
Zohary, Daniel and Maria Hopf
1993 DOMESTICATION OF PLANTS IN THE OLD WORLD. Second Edition
Oxford Science Publications.
SECTION SCHEDULE
WEEK
1 September 13 The Human Biology of Nutrition
CLASS EXERCISE
2 September 20 Classification of foods: insects, mushrooms
CLASS EXERCISE
3 September 27 Breads, Beer, and Noodles
CLASS EXERCISE
4 October 4 What is popcorn?
EXAM REVIEW
5 October 11 Poor Peoples Protein: beans
CLASS EXERCISE
6 October 18 The Opium of the People: sugar, ice cream
CLASS EXERCISE
7 October 25 What is a "Fruit"? kiwi
CLASS EXERCISE
8 November 1 EXERCISE: Spices
9 November 8 EXERCISE: Beverages
10 November 15 Ethnic Foods
11 November 22 EXERCISE: U.S. Food Complex and Ceremonies
Ethnogastronomy- What will you eat for Thanksgiving and why?
12 November 29 CLASS EXERCISE: Design a new food:
What biochemical qualities should it have? What texture, color, etc. should it have?
How should it be produced? Distributed?
13 December 6 Discussion of Health Problems that are Related to U.S. Food Complex
Diabetes, Bulimia, Cancer, Menopause, etc.