Communication 297FA - ST-Spirit&Stories:Folklore/Alc

This course examines the vast store of folklore inspired by and directed at alcohol and its cultural reach. Folklore means traditional expressive practices ranging from the verbal arts (such as stories and songs) to material culture (such as crafts and medicine) to customary activities (such as rituals and beliefs). The range of folklore herein is both global and ancient; that is, it concerns the entire history of alcohol, which in effect necessitates attention to the entire history of humanity in a global perspective. Specific lectures will address cultural differences concerning alcohol in the negotiation of race, ethnicity, class, nationhood, religion, gender, and political identity.