SOSC 130 - FOOD, POLITICS & SOCIETY

Summer 2024

Instructor
Dr. Anna Maria Beylunioğlu
Lecture Hours/Place: Mon, Tue, Wed., Thurs 13:00-14:20 /Zoom
Office Hours/Place: by appointment/CASEB05-zoom
[email protected]
Course description: Although food is a fundamental aspect of our daily lives, it is frequently
relegated to a peripheral position in the study of politics and society. In fact, culinary traditions have
been a central focus of modern social theory since the beginning of industrial revolution. Prominent
thinkers, ranging from Adam Smith to Mary Douglas, have employed key concepts such as identity,
culture and class to elucidate the contemporary food system, acknowledging it as a product
influenced by significant political interests. This course offers political, economic and sociological
approaches to explore various facets of food including its relationship to identity, politics, global
institutions, and social inequalities. It questions the connections between global and local politics
and our dietary choices by placing food at the heart of the discussion. Embracing an
interdisciplinary approach, ‘Food, Politics and Society’ aims to equip students with both theoretical
knowledge and real-world case-studies related to the contemporary realm of food politics. This area
of study attracts not only sociologists but also policymakers, economists, environmentalists, civil
society advocates, all of whom seek to make meaningful contributions. platforms seek to contribute.

Course requirements: Students are expected to complete the assigned readings prior to class in
order to actively engage in the in-class discussion.

Attendance, Participation & Camara Policy: Students are strongly encouraged to attend the
lectures. Attendance will account for 10% of their final grade. Additionally, students are expected
to participate in class discussions and demonstrate their understanding of the required readings and
videos by making meaningful contributions. This participation will contribute 15% to their final
grade. Furthermore, students are encouraged to keep their cameras on during Zoom sessions, as
this is considered crucial for fruitful, interactive lectures. Keeping the camera on for the entire
class will contribute 5% to their grade. Therefore, students who regularly have other commitments
at the time of class meetings are not recommended to take this course.

Mini-Questionnaire: Students will be asked to fill a questionnaire in the first week of the
course in the classroom. For those who take the course on add-drop week, the
questionnaire will be repeated. It will compose 5% of their grade.

Newsletter: Students will create three curated newsletters exploring the intersection of food,
politics, and society. They will choose three topics from the syllabus and search for relevant
videos, newspaper articles, and academic publications related to each topic released within the last
2 years (January 2023 - August 2024). Compile a list for each newsletter including these materials
and write a one-paragraph description and one paragraph comment for each item in each
newsletter. Newsletters should be submitted the day before the lecture day of the topic on the
syllabus. Each newsletter will compose 5%, totaling 15% of their grade.

Project (Diplomacy on the menu): Working in pairs, students are required to design a diplomatic
breakfast/lunch/dinner menu that is assumed to be prepared for the representatives of two political
entities in conflict. Mini-project (details will be explained in the classroom) should be max. one-
page long, should be submitted in word format. Project should include a description of the conflict,
the proposed menu and the outcomes of the summit. It should be presented in groups in the Week
8&9. It will compose 20% of the final grade.

Final Examination: Final examination will compose 30% of student’s grade and will be based on
readings, lectures, and discussions.

Lecture slides will be available on https://ku.blackboard.com.

EVALUATION: Attendance (10%); participation (15%); Camaras on (5%) mini-questionnaire (5%);

Mini newsletters (15%); diplomacy on the menu project (20%); final examination (30%)

MODE OF EDUCATION:
Please note that this course will be conducted via Zoom
Further, the lectures will NOT be recorded for later viewing via Panopto.

ACADEMIC HONESTY:
University rules and policies on academic honesty will be strictly enforced.

Weekly Schedule and Reading Assignments per week:

Week 1 (01.07) – course overview

Week 1 (02.07) – Food is Political: An introduction
Delmore, Sinjin (2020) “Food is and always be political”, thestandard.org

Week 2 (03.07/04.07) – Food and Identity(I): Class, Gender, Religion

Bourdieu, P. (1984). Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste. Routledge & Kegan
Paul Ltd. pp.169-225.
Counihan, Carole (1998), “Introduction – Food and Gender: Identity and Power” in Counihan,
Carole, Steven Kaplan (Eds), Food and Gender: Identity and Power. New-York: Routledge, pp. 1-
11.
Video(s): Pretty Woman (Breakfast and Dinner Scenes)

Week 3 (08.07/09.07) – Food and Identity (II): Nationalism

Colas, Edwards, Levi & Zubaida (2018), “Identity: Nationalism, Ethnicity, and Religion” in Food,
Politics, and Society : Social Theory and the Modern Food System, University of California Press.
Video(s): Hugh Jackman Shows Jimmy How to Really Eat Vegemite
When the Queen was served a rat for dinner
Week 4 (10.07/11.07) – Exploring Food as a Catalyst for Social Transformation
David Sutton, Nefissa Naguib, Leonidas Vournelis & Maggie Dickinson (2013) “Food and
Contemporary Protest Movements”, Food, Culture & Society, 16(3), pp:345-366.

Video(s): Greek TV anchor pelted with yogurt & eggs

Rushes from Greece- Potato Movement
Liberty Plaza Kitchen – Occupy Wall Street

Week 5 (15.07) – Food, State and Power

Sydney Mintz (1996), “Food and its relation to concepts of power” in Tasting Food, Tasting
Freedom, Beacon Press.
Thomson, Henry (2017), “Food and Power: Agricultural Policy Under Democracy and
Dictatorship, Comparative Politics, 49(2), pp:273-293.

Week 5/6 (16.07/17.07) – Gastro-Diplomacy

Sam Chapplle-Sokoll, (2013) “Culinary Diplomacy: Breaking Bread to Win Hearts and Minds.”
The Hague Jourrnal of Diplomacy, pp:161-183.

Burros, Marrian, (2012), “Diplomacy Travels on Its Stomach, Too” Nytimes,

https://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/04/dining/secretary-of-state-transforms-the-diplomatic-
menu.html?pagewanted=all

Week 6/7(18.07-22.07) – Food and GloCalization

James Farrer (2015) “Introduction: Travelling Cuisines in and Out of Asia:

Toward a Framework for Studying Culinary Globalization.” In James Farrer
(Ed.) The Globalization of Asian Cuisines, Palgrave Macmillan.

Colas, Edwards, Levi & Zubaida (2018), “Exchange: The Columbian Exchange and Mercantile
Empires ” , Food, Politics, and Society : Social Theory and the Modern Food System, University
of California Press.

Video(s): Christopher Columbus: The Food, The Bad & The Ugly

Week 7/8 (23.07-24.07)- DIPLOMACY ON THE MENU – GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 8 (25.07-29.07)- DIPLOMACY ON THE MENU – GROUP DISCUSSION

Week 9 (30.07/31.07) - Food Sovereignty and Political Economy of Food

Fine, Ben (1994), “Towards a Political Economy of Food” Review of International Political
Economy, Vol. 1(3), pp. 519-545.

Alkon, Alison Hope (2014), “Food Justice and the Challenge to Neoliberalism”, Gastronomica,
Vol. 14(2), pp. 27-40

Video(s): What is food sovereignty

Via Campesina

Week 10/11 (01.08/05.08) Food, Hunger, Inequalities and Environmental Politics

Hardin. 1995 (1968). ‘The Tragedy of the Commons’, in Conca, Alberty and Dabelko (eds.),
Green Planet Blues, pp. 38-45.

Ophuls.1995 (1974). ‘The Scarcity Society’, in Conca, Alberty and Dabelko (eds), Green Planet
Blues: pp. 63-69.

Guptill, Amy E. , Denise A. Copelton, Betsy Lucal.(2012). “Food Access: Surplus and Scarcity”
in Food and Society: Principles & Paradoxes, Polity.

Ross, Eric B. (1998) “False Premises, False Promises: Malthusianism and the Green Revolution”
in The Malthus Factor: Poverty, Politics and Population in Capitalist Development New York:
Zed Books, pp. 137-162

Video(s): When food becomes scarce – high tech farms for the future
What’s the future of food

Video(s): Problems with the Green Revolution

Week 11 (06.08) Global Political Food-Trends: Waste not, Vegetarianism, SlowFood…etc.

Sky Duthie, (2019), “Vegans and vegetarians: the history of how plant-based diets grew out
of left-wing ideology”, theConversation.com

Elizabeth Royte (2016), “Waste not Want not” National Geographic vol 229 (3).

Luca Simonetti, (2012) “The Ideology of Slow Food” Journal of European Studies vol 42 (2).

Video(s): Scenes from Cowspiracy - Documentary (2014)

Preserve Biodiversity, preserve the planet
Scenes from Wasted: The Story of Food Waste(2017)
Week 12 (07.08) - Food, Politics and Society in Turkey
John William Day(2022) “The Layers of an Onion: Food and nation in
Turkey” in Jongerden, J. (ed.), The Routledge Handbook on
Contemporary Turkey, Routledge, pp. 335-346

Week 12/13 (08.08/12.08) - Tracing Food, Politics and Society in Movies

Claudiu Craciun (2004) “Teaching Political Science at the Movies” Paper to be presented in the
Epsnet Plenary Conference, Charles University Prague.

Movie: The Search for General Tso

Week 13 (13.05-14.08) – Wrap-up discussion

Week 14 (15.08) – Final Examination

Suggested readings

Adams, Carol (2010), Sexual Politics of Meat: A Feminist Vegetarian Critical Theory, Continuum
Amy E. Guptill, Denise A. Copelton, Betsy Lucal, (2012), “Food and Social Change” in Food and
Society: Principles & Paradoxes, Polity.
Ashley, Bob, Johanne Hollows, Steve Jones & Ben Taylor (2004) Food and Cultural Studies,
Routledge
Barkas, Janet. The Vegetable Passion: A History of the Vegetarian State of Mind. New York:
Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1975.
Bloodroot Collective. The Political Palate: A Feminist Vegetarian Cook- book. Bridgeport,
Connecticut: Sanguinaria Publishing, 1980.
Bloodroot Collective. The Second Seasonal Political Palate: A Feminist Vegetarian Cookbook.
Bridgeport, Connecticut: Sanguinaria Publishing, 1984.
Clapp, Jennifer and Caitlin Scott. (2018) “The Global Environmental Politics of Food” Global
Environmental Politics, vol 18(2)
Colas, Edwards, Levi & Zubaida (2018), Food, Politics, and Society : Social Theory and the
Modern Food System, University of California Press.
Colas, Edwards, Levi & Zubaida (2018), “Political Economy: The Global Food System ”, Food,
Politics, and Society : Social Theory and the Modern Food System, University of California Press
Dombrowski, Daniel A. The Philosophy of Vegetarianism. Amherst: The University of
Massachusetts Press, 1984.
Douglas, M. (1972). “Deciphering a Meal.” Daedalus 101 (1): 61–81. https://www.jstor.org/stable/
20024058.
Dursteler, E. (2012). Food and Politics. In Kenneth Albala (Ed.), A Cultural History of Food, The
Renaissance, c. 1300-1600 Oxford: Berg. pp. 83-100.
Farrer, James (2015) The Globalization of Asian Cuisines, Palgrave Macmillan.
Ichijo, Atsuko & Ronald Ranta (2016) Food, National Identity and Nationalism: From Everyday
to Global Politics, Palgrave
Kevany, Kathleen (August 26, 2018) Eating as a political, social, spiritual act: The World Peace
Diet, The Conversation
Levi-Strauss, C. 1964. Mythologiques: Le Cru et le Cuit. Paris: Plon.
Lupton, Deborah (1996) “Theoretical Perspectives on Food and Eating” in Food, Body and the Self,
pp.1-27.
Mann, Alan (2014 ) Global Activism in Food Politics: Power Shift, Palgrave
M. Jahi Chappel (2015) “Global Movements for Food Justice” in Ronald J. Herrding (Ed.), The
Oxford Handbook of Food, Politics and Society, Oxford University Press.
Naccarato, Peter & Kathleen LeBesco (2012) Culinary Capital, Berg Publishers
Nestle, Marion & W. Alex McIntosh (2010) Writing the Food Studies Movement, Food, Culture &
Society, 13:2, 159-179
Nestle, Marion, M. Joseph (2012) “Food and politics in the modern age: 1920-2012” in A Bentley
(ed.) A cultural history of food in the modern age, Berg Publishers.
Nir Avieli & Rafi Grosglik (2013) “Food and Power in the Middle East and the Mediterranean”,
Food, Culture & Society, 16(2), pp:181-195,
Oldenziel, Ruth; Karin Zachmann (2009) Cold War Kitchen, Americanization, Technology and
European Users, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Phillipov, Michelle (2018), “Introduction: Thinking with media: margins, mainstreams and the
media politics of food” in Michell Phillipov & Katherine Kirkwood (eds), Alternative Food
Politics: From the Margins to the Mainstream. Routledge.
Priscilla Parkhurst Ferguson (2010) “Culinary Nationalism” Gastronomica, Vol. 10 (1), pp. 102-
109.
Ranta, Ronald (2015) “Food and Nationalism: From Fois Gras to Hummus” World Policy
Rockower, Paul S. (2012) “Recipes for Gastrodiplomacy”, Place Branding and Public Diplomacy
Vol. 8, 3, 235–246
Sloan Philip, Williy Legrand & Clare Hindley (2015) The Routledge Handbook of Sustainable
Food and Gastronomy, Routledge
Solt, George (2014) The Untold History of Ramen: How Political Crisis in Japan Spawned a
Global Food Graze, University of California Press.
Thomson, Henry (2019) Food and Power: Regime Type, Agricultural Policy and Political Stability,
Cambridge University Press.
Turkkan, Candan (2021) “Who is “deserving” of aid? Subject- formation in Istanbul’s food banks”,
Food, Culture & Society, 24:3, 464-480
Ünsal, Artun (2020) İktidarların Sofrası: Yemek, Siyaset ve Simgesellik, Everest Yayınları.
Williams-Forson, Psyche & Carole Counihan (2012) Taking Food Public: Redefining Foodways in
a Changing World, Routledge
Witt, Doris (1999) Black Hunger. Food and the Politics of the U.S. Identity, Oxford University
Press
Suggested Movies/Documentaries

 The Meaning of Food –PBS Documentary (2004)

 Food, Inc. – Documentary (2008)
 Fresh - Documentary (2009)
 Future of Food - Documentary (2009)
 The Botany of Desire – TV Movie (2009)
 Our Daily Bread - Documentary (2005)
 King Corn - Documentary (2007)
 The Hundred Foot Journey - Movie (2014)
 Kiss the Ground – Documentary (2020)
 Eat Drink Man Woman - Movie (1994)
 A Bite of China - Documentary (2012)
 Seaspiracy – Documentary (2021)
 The Search for General Tso - Documentary (2014)
 Cook up a storm - Movie (2017)
 Rice Rhapsody - Movie (2005)
 The Joy Luck Club - Movie (1993)
 Bir Tutam Baharat - Movie (2003)
 Cowspiracy - Documentary (2014)
 More than Honey - Documentary (2012)
 Sushi: The Global Catch - Documentary (2012)
 Farmageddon - Documentary (2011)
 Ingredients: The Local Food Movement Taes Root - Documentary (2009)
 Politics of Food: Foie Gras and the Ethics of Force Feeding - Documentary (2015)
 A Place at the Table - Documentary (2012)
 Farmland - Documentary (2014)
 Sustainable - Documentary (2016)
 Wasted: The Story of Food Waste(2017)