Sociology and History of Food
Objectives
This curricular unit intends to provide skills for understanding the food phenomenon in all its complexity.
At the end of the course, the student should have knowledge about:
a) The evolution of dietetics and eating habits of humanity from its origins to today;
b) The body and health as a social construction. Main relevant sociological concepts for the analysis of social conditions in the health-disease and its relationship to food in contemporary society.
c) The act of feeding and eating habits acquired in the socialization process;
d) Foods analyzed from a political, ethical, sustainability and risk perspectives.
General characterization
Code
41002
Credits
Available soon
Responsible teacher
IVA PIRES,ANA FILIPA DA SILVA ALVES,ANA CATARINA DOMINGUES PEREIRA SANTOS
Hours
Weekly - Available soon
Total - 0
Teaching language
PT
Prerequisites
Not applicable
Bibliography
Not applicable
Teaching method
The course is organized in theoretical-practical lectures: 2 weekly lectures of 50 min long each. The course will be taught by professors from the Faculdade de Ciências Sociais e Humanas, Universidade Nova de Lisboa.
Evaluation method
The evaluation includes two components: a) one at the end of each module, with a final weighting of 60%, and b) a final exam, graded from 0 to 20 points, with a weighting of 40%.
a) Modules evaluation (60%)
Module I - The evaluation of Module I will consist of an individual written exercise, with consultation, outside the classroom. The form will be distributed in the second class of the module and must be delivered one week after the end of the module (20%).
Module II - based on the theme Health and Food, students, organized in working groups, must make an oral presentation that must follow these criteria: a) presentation of a theme/problem (specification of the starting questions and objectives of the work), articulating with the course literature; b) Presentation of the results from the statistical sources explored; c) Discussion of the results and reflection about the contribution of the problematic to Nutritional Sciences (20%)
Module III Each working group will prepare a power point presentation for a text from the course literature and will lead the discussion in the class (20%)
b) Final Exam(40%)
Individual written exam covering the entire course content
Subject matter
Introduction
Introduction to the program, its structure and content and assessment (Iva Pires)
I. History of Food
1. Food as a medicine:
1.1 From dietetics first steps to the Western Authorities Canon
1.2 The Humoral Theories and the Great Chain of Beings: building and evolution of a doctrine
1.3 The three phases of healing: the importance of a diet
1.4 Food in Portuguese Hygiene Treaties until 18th century
2. Sharing a territory, sharing a culture (Ancient Mediterranean and Medieval Europe):
2.1 Rural / urban space: agricultural space organization and autarkic regime ideals
2.2 Religions and table liturgy: immortality foods and sacrificial cuisine
2.3 Maritime trade routes and fluvial resources: luxuries versus resources
2.4 Preserving food products ancestral ways
3. Europe and (un) continued inheritances
3.2 The spices return and the Discoveries
3.3 Honey and sugar cane: from the apothecary to the kitchen
4. The 16th century and the Oriental and New World species disclosure
4.1 New products assimilation in the Iberian and Mediterranean areas: turkey, corn maize, potatoes, tomatoes, etc.
4.2 The new sociability drinks introduction: tea, coffee and chocolate.
5. Food and conviviality
5.1 The table sociability models: space, bodies and service
5.2 From French service to Russian service: the implication in product choices and cooking techniques
6. Aesthetics, "Good taste" and cuisine identity
6.1 The table aesthetics and the "good taste" concept triumph (late 17th-18th century)
6.2 Cookbooks influence on food practices.
II. Sociology of Health and Food
1. The social construction of health and disease
2. Body and health as social constructions
3. The notion of risk in contemporary societies
3.1. The social risk in the framework of social sciences
3.1.1 The emergence of new social movements and the social construction of risk
3.2 The risk in health
3.2.1 the epidemiological risk
4. Health Determinants of in a globalized world
4.1.1 The epidemiological transition
4.1.2 Morbidity and mortality
4.1.3. Social inequalities in health
5. Portuguese population Health status and its determinants:
5.1.1 Health status Some examples of diseases (diabetes, hypertension, obesity, etc.)
5.1.2 Practical component: exploration of Statistics sources (INE, OECD; Eurostat, WHO) oral presentation of an exploratory work about health and food based on the following sources:
1. National Health Survey (INE);
2.National Health Interview Survey with Physical Examination (INSA.IP)
3.National Food and Physical Activity Survey (IAN-AF)
5.1.3. Health determinants:
Food
Salt consumption
Physical exercise
Alcohol
Tobacco
6. Changes in diet and health conceptions
6.1. Diets, obesity and body images
6.2. Obesity and food consumption medicalization
7. Food and identities construction
III. Food: economic, social, ethical and environmental issues
1. Industrialization and Globalization of food
1.1 Food: from the kitchen to the factory
1.2 Globalization of Food Systems and of the Consumption
2. Gender and Food
Gender issues associated with food production, distribution and preparation
3. Social Movements and Lifestyles Associated with Food
3.1 Emergence and globalization of the Slow Food movement
3.2 Organic, local and sustainable
3.3 Veganism and Freganism
3.4 Gourmet Food Culture and Foodies
4. Food analyzed from a political, ethical, sustainability and risk perspective
4.1 Food and sustainability
4.2 Risks and Food Safety
The consumer's perception of food risks
Behaviors towards the risks associated with food
4.3 Food Sovereignty and Food Justice
4.4 Inequalities in Access to Food: Scarcity and Excess
Food safety and food waste