Race, Class, and Consumption in Food

Today, a heavy burden is placed on consumers to understand the social justice (or lack thereof) of the products that they purchase. Food and nutrition, primary and recurrent needs of all human beings, also become deeply entrenched in social meaning making. Our intimate experiences of food as something we consume in our bodies create social niches in which the consumption of luxury items by connoisseurs allows for claims of superior status, taste, and ethics. This course examines the intersection of race, class, and consumption in historical and contemporary food politics. Together, we analyze the interplay of food and labor, taste and power, race and consumption, community and capitalism, luxury and inequality, food sovereignty and celebrity, fandom and social status, and responsibility and repair. We explore elements of the mundane—the morning pastry, the bottle of water, or the spices forgotten in our cabinets—all items that not only play a role in the movement of billions of dollars around the world, but also in the access to fundamental rights and equity in the lives of all people. Interdisciplinary course readings weave together threads of profound historical and contemporary debates on race, class, and consumption. Assignments address pressing real-world questions related to food justice, labor politics, social inequality, and the popular culture of consumption drawing from our individual and collective experiences.