16910

WiSe 21/22: Food Studies: An Introduction, with emphasis on the cultural history of food in Berlin

Susanne Scharnowski

Kommentar

Subject: Food is not just necessary to keep us alive. It is a crucial part of cultures and societies: What and how we eat plays a role in the formation and confirmation of individual and group identity. Furthermore, how food is produced and consumed is an economic, environmental, ethical, and political issue. Studying food from an interdisciplinary angle, considering social, cultural, environmental, ethical, economic, and political aspects, therefore gives us access to some key aspects of our civilisation. And Berlin is a very good point of departure for the study of food: Between 1870 and 1945, when it was one of the main German industrial centres and the most ‘American’ city of Europe, the city’s modernity became manifest in countless innovations in the production and consumption of food. Additionally, ever since the beginning of industrialisation, migrants from different parts of the world have brought their food cultures to Berlin. And since 2010, Berlin has, once again, become a hotbed for new food trends: It has been named the “the vegan Mecca” and the “vegetarian capital” of the world, and a place where food activists campaign against food waste, for regional and organic food or for ethical eating. Program: With Berlin as a case study, this course will introduce the students to interdisciplinary food studies. Based on presentations by the lecturer as well as academic texts, we will examine food in Berlin since the 19th century. If possible, we will visit an exhibition about the cultural history of food in Germany at Domäne Dahlem. Finally, the students will do group research on food projects, eating places and initiatives in present-day Berlin – if possible, field research based on research – and present their findings. Is this course suitable for you? This course is open to students from all academic fields. Nevertheless, you should be prepared to study academic texts in English from the social sciences, cultural history and cultural studies. You should be interested in discussing eating habits and food preferences in a cultural, social, political and environmental context, and you should be prepared to do some (field) research on a specific aspect of contemporary Berlin food culture in a working group and present and discuss the findings. Workload and Assessment: To obtain 5 ECTS credits, you have to study and engage with the course materials (an average of 15 pages per week), research and give a group presentation or submit some written work during the semester and pass the final written examination (take home exam or written exam). Schließen

16 Termine

Regelmäßige Termine der Lehrveranstaltung

Di, 16:00 - 18:00 16 Termine

Di, 19.10.2021 16:00 - 18:00

Dozenten:
Dr. Susanne Scharnowski