Edible Matters: Cartography and the Cultural Biography of Food (APA4149.01)

Yoko Inoue

Food, place and politics. This course investigates food in the globalized world considering political economy, history of colonialism and cultural identity. Focusing on various geographical locales, we examine the economic factors, socio-political structures and cultural implications behind what determines a crop’s value based on power relationships and global trade strategies. The class investigates how the cultivation of commodity food crops, such as corn and tropical fruits, have reshaped landscapes from the era of early colonization by the Europeans and the ways that the subsequent establishment of the globalized industrialized food systems have affected environments, national sovereignty, labor, economic and human rights, cultural heritage and identity. This is a research-based course which incorporates transdisciplinary approaches, including visual arts methodologies (drawing sculpture, photography, performance, video) to render diagrams and draw maps to visualize the intricacies and obscure relationships that are found in contemporary foodscapes. Ultimately we will creatively present our focused investigations associated with food and eating in an exhibition that incorporates multidisciplinary visual art presentations.

Prerequisites: One CAPA course required. Political Economy or Food related CAPA courses preferred. VA courses will be desirable but not required. Permission of the instructor, see Yoko Inoue to register. Office hours: Wed. 4-6 pm or by appointment. yinoue@bennington.edu
Credits: 4
Th 4:10pm - 6:00pm; Th 6:30pm – 8:30pm (new time as of 11/20/18)
Maximum Enrollment: 12
Course Frequency:
This course is categorized as 4000, Advancement of Public Action, All courses, Areas of Study, CAPA, Four Credit, Monday and/or Thursday Afternoons, Updates, Visual Arts, Visual Arts (VA), Yoko Inoue, and tagged , , , , , , , , , , , .