96457 - Anthropology of Food

Learning outcomes

The course aims to illustrate the main thematic and theoretical–methodological issues in the anthropology of food, exploring the variety of sociocultural processes surrounding the production and consumption of food. By the end of the course, students will have acquired the knowledge and skills necessary to carry out an effective anthropological analysis of food-related phenomena.

Course contents

The course explores the major themes of the anthropology of food, with a focus on the sacred, ritual, symbolic, and identity-related meanings of food and drink. Particular attention will be devoted to the formation of tastes and distastes, viewed through the interplay of instinct, culture, and food systems.

By combining classic anthropological theory with contemporary perspectives, the course provides students with conceptual tools to critically analyze food as a total social fact—one that connects economy, culture, religion, and identity.

Course Outline

• Introduction: Overview of the course and of anthropological approaches to food – Agriculture, “plants of civilization,” and mythology – Archaic production systems and the rise of complex societies.

• Paul Rozin: Evolutionary psychology and food choices – Food and structuralism: the nature/culture dichotomy.

• Claude Lévi-Strauss: The culinary triangle – Food taboos in the work of Marvin Harris and Mary Douglas – Meat in the West: between feast and fasting.

• Taste and Society: Subjectivity and social distinction – Pierre Bourdieu and the social critique of taste – Local typicalities and disgust – The rise of “food tribes.”

• Norbert Elias: The civilizing process and the codification of table manners.

• The Pig: Between nature and culture, domestic and wild – Case studies by Roy Rappaport and Marcello Massenzio.

• The Myth of the Past: The Paleo diet and the marketing of “authenticity” – The anthropology of dining and restaurant culture.

• Commensality and Globalization: Anthropology and sociology of conviviality – The Mediterranean diet – Tradition, locality, and the global food system.

• Food, Gender, and Power: George M. Foster and the concept of "limited good” – Jack Goody on food and gender – Food, masculinity, and femininity in the age of social media.

• Medical-Magical Uses of Food.

• The Modern Food System: Sidney Mintz on sugar and the British Empire – Multinational corporations and globalization.

• Contemporary Transformations: The impact of pandemics and war on eating habits.

Readings/Bibliography

Readings for Attending Students

One of the following manuals (students may choose one):

• A. Koensler e P. Meloni, Antropologia dell’alimentazione. Produzione, consumo, movimenti sociali (Roma: Carocci 2019)
• Food and Culture. A Reader, a cura di C. Counihan e P. Van Esterik (Londra-New York: Routledge, 2013), pp. 19-103 [downloadable from Virtuale]

Two readings to be chosen from the following:

• M. Montanari, Il cibo come cultura (Roma-Bari: Laterza, 2004)
• E. Moro, La dieta mediterranea. Mito e storia di uno stile di vita (Bologna: il Mulino, 2013)
• M. Niola, Homo dieteticus. Viaggio nelle tribù alimentari (Bologna: il Mulino, 2015)
• F. Lai, Antropologia del cibo nella fiction (Bologna: Patron, 2017)
• E. Moro, M. Niola, Mangiare come Dio comanda (Torino: Einaudi, 2023)

The contents of these volumes will be supplemented with materials presented during lectures and made available for download on Virtuale.

Non-attending students:
In addition, non-attending students are required to read E. Di Renzo, A proposito del gusto. 50 dissertazioni sul cibo e sul vino dal fare quotidiano al Coronavirus (Lucca: Cinquesensi Editore, 2020).

Teaching methods

Lectures, including thematic presentations, film screenings, and the reading and discussion of selected documents.

Assessment methods

Oral examination.

Assessment will take into account the accuracy and appropriateness of language, the understanding of the topics discussed, and the ability to establish meaningful connections among the various themes.

The final grade will be expressed on a scale of thirty points. At the instructor’s discretion, cum laude (honours) may be awarded.

Evaluation Criteria

• Excellent (28–30 with cum laude): Full and critical understanding of the topics covered in class, combined with a confident command of the specific disciplinary language.

• Good (25–27): Sound but mostly descriptive knowledge of the subject matter, with the ability to summarize and analyze using language that is generally appropriate though not always precise.

• Satisfactory (21–24): Some gaps in content knowledge and/or limited use of appropriate terminology, yet an overall adequate comprehension of the material.

• Pass (18–20): Significant gaps in understanding or improper use of language, with partial orientation within the course bibliography.

• Fail (<18): Severe conceptual or linguistic deficiencies and lack of familiarity with the core materials will result in a failing grade.

Students with Specific Learning Disorders (SLD) or Disabilities

Students with specific learning disorders, temporary or permanent disabilities are encouraged to contact the University Office for Students with Disabilities and SLD (https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en) well in advance. The office will provide guidance on possible accommodations, which must be submitted for the instructor’s approval at least 15 days before the examination. The instructor will evaluate their appropriateness in relation to the learning objectives of the course.

Teaching tools

All teaching materials discussed in class will be made available to students and will complement the course bibliography.

Students with Disabilities or Specific Learning Disorders (SLD)

Students who, due to disabilities or specific learning disorders (SLD), require compensatory or exemption measures must first contact the University Service for Students with Disabilities and SLD: https://site.unibo.it/studenti-con-disabilita-e-dsa/en

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Maraschi