New course: Food Sociology

In May we start with a new course – Food Sociology: Emerging theories & themes.
This course addresses the dynamics of food provisioning – i.e. the range of activities from the production, acquisition and preparation to the consumption and disposal of food – from a sociological perspective. These activities are examined in their socio-cultural, political and physical context by specifying and clarifying which activities are carried out, how, why and by whom. Specifically this course focuses on newly emerging food provisioning practices and the networks and institutions shaping these practices as well as on the social theories to reflect on these dynamics, networks and institutions. The specific contents of the course will differ from year to year as it based upon current international scientific collaborative research programmes and PhD projects. The students will enjoy an interesting variety of learning activities.

Most of the lectures will be given by PhD students of the Rural Sociology Group. They will discuss the theoretical perspectives that have inspired their empirical research. In addition they will present their research approach and their (provisional) results of empirical work. Four PhD students will each take care of one week of lecturing, tutorial and supervision of a group assignment. In addition several other PhD students and junior researchers will give a guest lecture about (a specific aspect of) their project.

The main themes of the course are:

 Food sociology: an introduction to the discipline and overview of research programs
 Social food movements and urban food strategies.
 Transition dynamics in the food system.
 Civic food networks.
 Urban agriculture and patterns of urban food provisioning

Additional specific topics that will be presented through guest lectures are: