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Special Topics: Cultural Psychology and Food

Psychology Special Topics Course

Sean Duffy, PhD

Summer 2024, Online

Introduction:
It is often said that we are what we eat, but what we eat depends to a large extent upon the cultural matrix in which our lives are embedded. This multi-disciplinary course examines factors that shape how people produce and consume food. Topics to be discussed include ethnic identity and cultural cuisine, the development of taste and memory, the globalization of food and its implication on culinary diversity, evolutionary and developmental origins of disgust, delight, and other food-induced emotional associations, and other topics. We will also create and sample cuisines from different cultures to better understand the cultural variability in food preferences across the world.
Course Goals: 
  1. To understand the myriad ways that food and culture interact in order to fulfill a variety of social processes including group dynamics and historical continuity. 
  2. To examine how the production and consumption of food plays a role in shaping self and identity. 
  3. To gain insight into how certain nutrients such as salt or the spice trade altered the course of human culture. 
  4. To explore the food of one’s own culture and those of others; to experience food and share those experiences and to appreciate learning about the cuisine of other cultures. 
  5. To improve general writing and critical thinking skills through online discussions and interactions.  
  6. To read interdisciplinary materials from a variety of fields: literature, sociology, psychology, anthropology, biology, and history and so on in order to gain a true inter- and multi-disciplinary understanding of the meaning of culture and food. 
Requirements: 
  • NO REQUIRED BOOK BUT I do require that you to have (or borrow from someone) their Netflix account. I show many videos from Netflix. The good thing is if you don’t have netflix you can sign up for a trial membership for a month long period and if you cancel before the month is over you do not get any charge. So you can do that if you don’t have it 
  • Readings and required videos. I’m serious about this. You really have to do the work for this class, and though it is a lot of time, it is a 3 credit course. And the videos are JUST AS IMPORTANT as the readings and in some ways more important. So don’t skip the videos if you are at a loss for time. 
  • 1 post on the discussion page where you introduce yourself and your interest in this topic (and anything else you want to include such as a picture of yourself or your pet.) 5 points (2 percent of your grade) – Note this should be thoughtful and at least 200 words. And you have to give a real response, not “it fit in my schedule.” And say hi to at least 3 of your student colleagues as part of this. 
  • 7 “Quizzes” – 3 Short Essay Questions in response to readings but most require you to relate readings to your personal experiences (5 pts each, 35% final grade) ~300-500 words but you can go on if you are passionate about the topic
  • 6 Discussion Questions and responses (5 pts each 30% of final grade) INCLUDING For each discussion forum you must go and respond to 3 of your peers discussion question with a short response
  • Final Project on a topic of your choice (longer essay or project – that includes media of some sort (media (like video or photos) plus 4-5 pages) (30 pts, 30% of final grade). Cite in APA format but only the citations and reference lists. I don’t care about the way APA style guide handles stuff like section headings. But you are taking a psychology class you should be citing in APA format. 
Example Final Exam Projects: 
  1. Learn a new dish from someone you never cooked with before. 
Find a relative or friend who is from another culture. Arrange a time to meet with them and cook a dish together. It need not be complicated, a simple dish would do. Do some research on the history of the dish, how it came to be part of that culture, and interview the person you do this with about their experience cooking and in their culture. Photograph it, provide the steps to make it, and reflect upon how this dish represents or reflects the culture from which the person originates. 
  1. Write about a restaurant
Go to a restaurant from a different culture. Order a few dishes you have never tried. Research this dish, examining how it came to be part of that culture, how it reflects the history of the culture1. See if you can interview the owner or chef (perhaps arrange an interview ahead of time) in which you ask them some questions (don’t burden them – 5 minutes of questions max, try to go around a time when the restaurant is not too busy) on how they came to get into the restaurant business. Tip them well. 
  1. Bake 
Make a new bread, documenting it. You must start from scratch, using a leavening agent such as yeast or baking soda, and document the steps. Research the culture that it comes from, and write about its history. Write about the history of the kind of bread you chose to make, and investigate the history of this food. Photographs and document what you did and the recipe you followed. 
  1. Market visit
Go to a market of another culture, such as an Indian or Asian market. Describe it – the types of food, what you see and smell. Buy a food item – something less than $20. Maybe it could be a durian or a jackfruit. Describe it, and write about the history of the item. Try something unusual – not just japanese candy. Try to see if you can ask a few questions of the owners or workers. 
  1. Propose your own!
  • Propose your own project. It must be experiential (you must DO something goes beyond writing – must include media. 
  • Must involve food and some writing
  • May not be part of a project for another class. 

Module 1

Intro to the Course

This video explains the parameters of the course. Note – the first module has a much longer set of videos to watch – a netflix series…

Lecture Videos & Slides

Module 1, part 1 (26:23)

Module 1, part 2 (15:13)

Module 1, part 3 (16:30)

 

Readings

Required Videos

1. High on the Hog “Tell me what you eat, and I will tell you where you’re from.” 

In June 2021 an amazing documentary about food and culture came out on Netflix called High on the Hog. It is a 4 part series based on a book by Jessica Harris about the ways in which African and later African American cuisine affected the development of American food ways. It was as if it were made for this class. What I propose is that we all watch the documentary and I will post a short lecture/response video and we can continue the discussion via the discussion board. 

The documentary is on NETFLIX. But FIRST I suggest you watch this embedded video below a PBS Newshour story (8 minutes) first to get a little context…BUT THIS IS NOT THE REAL ASSIGNMENT YOU HAVE TO GO INTO NETFLIX AND WATCH THE DOCUMENTARY (4 Episodes of season one, and if you want to watch season two be my guest!)

PBS Newshour Segment 1

PBS Newshour Segment 2: 

SO what you will need to do is to log onto Netflix, and search for “High on the Hog” and watch season 1 (4 episodes, 40 minutes each). 3 Hours is a long time I know – but it is WORTH IT. 

2. Netflix: Chef’s Table Christina Martinez

So this video WHICH YOU WILL NEED TO GO INTO NETFLIX TO WATCH AND SEARCH FOR CHEF’S TABLE, THEN “SEASON 5” and then select the episode on CHRISTINA MARTINEZ. Sorry that is a lot of steps but look – I am fairly sure you have used netflix before to watch shows (If not let me know so I can help). This episode is about a Mexican restaurant that all of you could go to RIGHT NOW which is in south philly in walking distance from the PATCO station. It also is the only truly affordable restaurant in the Netflix Chef Table series – you can get goat tacos for like $4 each. 

Here is a little local interview with Christina, BUT THIS IS JUST A PREVIEW BELOW NOT THE THING I WANT YOU TO WATCH.

3. Andrew Zimmern tour of Ethnic Grocery Stores

A tour of ethnic food stores. 

https://video-alexanderstreet-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/watch/a-tour-of-ethnic-food-stores?context=channel:academic-video-onlineLinks to an external site.

IF THE ABOVE IS NOT EMBEDDED PLEASE GO TO THE LINK PROVIDED AND LOG INTO THE LIBRARY. 

4. Short PBS Newshour story on Madder Jeffrey, the woman who brought Indian cooking to the West. 

Assessments

  • Quiz
  • Discussion: Introduce yourselves, reflect on readings, and ask a discussion question. Look at my first reply for what I am looking for.

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At any time, you can return to Modules for the big picture.