History 239GF - Topics in Asian History: 'Global Food and Local Tastes in Modern East Asia'

This 200-level history seminar studies the changing relationship between people and food on a global scale, but the main regional focus is East Asia. Course materials include but are not limited to the following topics: how does food define and transform social and cultural attitudes and everyday life? What role have governments and markets played in shaping what humans grew in the field? What has impacted local tastes in a given region? How has the emergence of restaurants, fast food, and supermarkets shaped the way humans have thought about food and nutrition? Can you recreate a dish from a recipe?