[BostonCard]

I see there is now a course entitled "The Cultural Politics of Food and Eating."  What has happened to academics?

I assume it is this course: https://explorecourses.stanford.edu/sear...&collapse=

The topics covered include: the industrialization of agriculture; globalization and local foodways; food justice and ethics; new technologies in food practices (e.g., biotechnology, delivery apps); health and diet trends; and food and global challenges (e.g., climate change, COVID-19).

Up to you whether that's something that appeals, of course, but I could see how it would be useful.  My father worked for international subsidiaries of consumer packaged goods companies, so I could see how a course such as the above might have been relevant to his job.  For example, if you are an executive at, say, Hershey's chocolate, and the price of cocoa is skyrocketing because of chronic underinvestment in cocoa farms, and dry weather, that might be relevant to your quarterly profit.  It doesn't seem to be in the syllabus, but I wouldn't be surprised if one topic is the impact of weight loss drugs on the food industry.  And there are many examples of wars that were started over food.

I roll my eyes about a lot of academic courses, and there are elements of the syllabus that are less interesting to me, but as a whole, I would probably find the course interesting and valuable.  YMMV.

BC

[BostonCard]

I see there is now a course entitled "The Cultural Politics of Food and Eating."  What has happened to academics?

I assume it is this course: https://explorecourses.stanford.edu/sear...&collapse=

The topics covered include: the industrialization of agriculture; globalization and local foodways; food justice and ethics; new technologies in food practices (e.g., biotechnology, delivery apps); health and diet trends; and food and global challenges (e.g., climate change, COVID-19).

Up to you whether that's something that appeals, of course, but I could see how it would be useful.  My father worked for international subsidiaries of consumer packaged goods companies, so I could see how a course such as the above might have been relevant to his job.  For example, if you are an executive at, say, Hershey's chocolate, and the price of cocoa is skyrocketing because of chronic underinvestment in cocoa farms, and dry weather, that might be relevant to your quarterly profit.  It doesn't seem to be in the syllabus, but I wouldn't be surprised if one topic is the impact of weight loss drugs on the food industry.  And there are many examples of wars that were started over food.

I roll my eyes about a lot of academic courses, and there are elements of the syllabus that are less interesting to me, but as a whole, I would probably find the course interesting and valuable.  YMMV.

BC