UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
Duluth Campus
Department of Sociology -Anthropology
College of Liberal Arts
228 Cina Hall
1123 University Drive
Duluth, Minnesota 55812-3306
Office:218-726-7551
Fax: 218-726-7759
3 October 2010
Anth of Food Week 5, Ch. 4—Food & Culture
It’s a Big Week in Minnesota Food Activities . . . .
This week we begin to have a look at the cultural aspects of food, and we’ll have a look at those in
the readings and in Marcus Samuelsson’s video The Meaning of Food: "Food & Culture”.
But mostly we’re going to give you some time to catch up, and a lot of encouragement to try to
participate at least a little bit in the Nobel Conference at Gustavus. Live streaming of the major
events is available on-line (see below and in your Moodle Home).
Remember the first week and the Four Fields of American Anthropology? They’ll be looking at
those four fields at Gustavus this week . . . and a whole lot more . . .
Nobel Conference 46
Making Food Good
Tuesday and Wednesday, Oct. 5 & 6, 2010
Conference Schedule & Information
Gustavus Adolphus College
800 West College Avenue
Saint Peter, MN 56082
Ph. 507-933-8000
Don’t miss this opportunity to investigate the Nobel Conference and its materials for your
class project in Anthropology of Food.
Word has it that this conference will easily set their all-time record for attendance.
Live Streaming of the Conference is being made available
by the Gustavus Adolphus Nobel Committee
It’s also time to start thinking seriously about the midterm exam. A good activity to start your
review would be looking over Ch. 1, “Setting the Table for a Cultural Feast.” And if you’re a visual
learner, you might have another look at the Ch. 1 slide sets. Be sure to contribute your question(s) to
the Midterm Exam by Friday, 8 October 2010. I review those questions regularly, commenting on
them in order to try to make them a good source for reviewing for the Midterm Exam.
Anthropology of Food, Week 5, p. 2
After the exam we’ll spend most of the rest of the semester examining how people get their food in
nonindustrial and industrial cultures, and in exploring the social, corporeal, sacred, psychological,
political, economic, and cultural aspects of food—that’s the holistic anthropology approach. We’ll
actually start our “Food and Culture” coverage this week, but in the second part of the semester that
will be our focus.
And hopefully, in the second half of the semester you will be applying your analytical
anthropological skills that you have been developing and honing in the first five weeks of the course.
We will be shifting emphasis for the last part of the course from slide presentations to video
materials—visiting most parts of the globe in the process—so you will have lots of opportunities to
practice.
Speaking of skills, next week we’ll have two short minute-and-a-half tests of your observational
skills before we begin our intensive look at the wide variety of Anth of Food video materials. You
can take those short tests this week if you like, before you meet Marcus Samuelsson.
This week we’ll have a look at Marcus Samuelsson’s The Meaning of Food: "Food & Culture" (ca.
60 min., CC, 2007, DVD 1700) [viewing guide], and two short National Geographic video clips on “Extreme
Cuisine” (and their related WebPages). The video “Food & Culture” is one of a series of three
programs that go with your text. Be sure to use the viewing guides for the films and videos, and
your text for The Meaning of Food series.
By now you should have selected and have been working on your class project. If you have not
and/or are not making progress—or if you are having difficulty with your project topic—please
check in immediately—either in person or by e-mail. Your Project Proposal is due by this Friday, 8
October 2010, and your Working Bibliography is due by Friday, 15 October 2010.
And remember, it’s always a good idea to share your ideas with others. You can discuss them online with the others in class. And you should do that.
As usual, if you have any general or specific questions, please let me know.
Do try to check in on at least parts of the Gustavus gathering via Live Streaming. It really is an
opportunity in our own backyard that you shouldn’t miss. And, I predict, folks hereabouts interested
in food will be talking about “The Food Conference” for quite some time.
And as usual, be sure to check the activities of the week. And do them on time.
This is the week to catch up—if you need catching up. . . .
Best Regards and Wishes,
Tim Roufs