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The role of food in human society extends far beyond its biological necessity for health and wellbeing. The production, distribution, exchange and consumption of food are all cultural acts that reflect and shape the diversity of human societies. The anthropological study of food provides an insight into how culture patterns, orders and diversifies human life. This course focuses on food and eating as a means of understanding how culture informs our sense of identity, our relationships with others, and reflects wider social structures including those of gender and class. The course introduces students to the importance of food in diverse human societies, while exploring the central anthropological concept of culture.

This course explores peoples' complex, colourful and passionate relationships with food. Students will examine how culture transforms food from a basic necessity into a rich diversity of cultural practices that underpin the fabric of social life, and explores how food is central to our understanding of ourselves. By studying what, where and how we eat, students will investigate culture as a central human attribute and explore how food is produced, prepared, distributed and disposed of in different and distinctive ways across the globe. These distinctive and diverse patterns of food production and consumption provide insights into key aspects of society including identity, kinship, class, gender, the body, health, ritual, enculturation, migration and globalisation.

On successful completion of this course students should be able to:

1. critically analyse anthropological methods, concepts and theories; investigate and discuss anthropological questions; and provide and analyse ethnographic evidence;
2. evaluate and analyse key anthropological texts relating to the study of food and culture;
3. apply anthropological knowledge and understandings to food and culture in real world contexts;
4. develop culturally aware and tolerant viewpoints, including sensitivities in representing the viewpoints and practices of others.