Food, Race, and Migration

This course explores the intersectional histories of food, race, and migration in the U.S., with most of its focus on the period 1900 to the present. From food that migrated with colonists and enslaved laborers, to food created within ethnic communities trying to establish comfort and presence in the nation, to haute and fusion cuisines that cross racial, classed, and geographic borders—the things we see on our plates are the product of a myriad of movements of people, commodities, and ideas. How have factors such as race/ethnicity, migration, class, and gender impacted the foods available to us to eat, buy, and share? How have different waves of immigrants to North America shaped the nation’s culinary landscape, and conversely, how has the national culture shaped the diets of newcomers? How does food function to unite and separate people? How have food politics and activism developed over time in the U.S.? This class will explore all of these questions, and more.