SOC 202 - Sociology of Food

Credits: 5
Using a sociological lens, the relationship between food and humans is examined, focusing on how food production and consumption are informed by social class, ethnicity, gender, globalization, social movements and technological changes. Humans give symbolic meaning to food as more than a source of nourishment; food rituals are embedded in social institutions, cultural patterns and social interactions between individuals which reflect changing cultural values and practices.

Prerequisite: Eligible for ENGL& 101 or instructor’s permission.

Satisfies Requirement: Social Science

Course Outcomes:
Students who successfully complete this class will be able to:

Apply the major theoretical perspectives to food consumption and production practices.
Explain the fundamental significance of food in human rituals and social institutions.
Discuss the social construction of food as a form of cultural expression.
Recognize the intersection of social class, gender, and ethnicity in food production and consumption patterns.
Identify the connection between food production and globalization, including assessing the ecological implications of the current global food systems.
Recall the various social movements related to food production and consumption.

Program Outcomes

Inequality, Privilege, and Stratification: Students will demonstrate their ability to understand how inequality, privilege, and stratification are connected to course specific content.
Critical Thinking: Demonstrate critical thinking skills through the appropriate application of discipline specific methodology, theory, and/or ethics.

College-wide Outcomes

Responsibility - Responsibility encompasses those behaviors and dispositions necessary for students to be effective members of a community. This outcome is designed to help students recognize the value of a commitment to those responsibilities which will enable them to work successfully individually and with others.
Written Communication - Written Communication encompasses all the abilities necessary for effective expression of thoughts, feelings, and ideas in written form.