People, Land & Food
In this class taught by Prof Rain, the focus was on the Geography of What We Eat.
Through case studies and their own projects, students learned about the particular intersections of land and culture that produce cuisine.
Readings covered everything from the caloric requirements of human populations to the history of industrial food to a passionate argument in favor of genetically modified agriculture.
Students kept a log for 3 days of everything they consumed; reflections on this activity were rich.
Group work focused on researching recipes from around the world, from every continent except Australia.
Class Feast
On the last day of class, students brought in their creations to share with each other and some special guests, including Dean Barratt and present and former faculty in the Geography Department.
Prof Rain himself reflected on the class in a blog entry for the National Geographic’s Great Energy Challenge, an essay called “Climate Change, It’s What’s For Dinner”
Interactive Map of Student's Work
Each student produced an atlas page (double sided) with the geography of their particular dish.
