LLAS 358 Food and Drink in Mexican History

This seminar examines Mexican foodways deemed by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity from the Postclassic Period to the present. We begin with the premise set by anthropologist Sidney Mintz that food is always a matter of cultural history, political economy, and systems of meaning. The themes of indigenous cuisines, food and empire, commodities and capitalism, national and popular cuisines, nutrition and nation building, and globalization and food sovereignty will guide our readings and discussions. With particular attention to issues of race, gender, and class, we will consider historical problems linked to economic inequality, gender relations, and environmental degradation.