Syllabus

Professor

Kelly D. Brownell, Professor of Psychology, Epidemiology, and Public Health

Description

This course encompasses the study of eating as it affects the health and well-being of every human. Topics include taste preferences, food aversions, the regulation of hunger and satiety, food as comfort and friendship, eating as social ritual, and social norms of blame for food problems. The politics of food discusses issues such as sustainable agriculture, organic farming, genetically modified foods, nutrition policy, and the influence of food and agriculture industries. Also examined are problems such as malnutrition, eating disorders, and the global obesity epidemic; the impact of food advertising aimed at children; poverty and food; and how each individual's eating is affected by the modern environment.

Texts

Brownell, Kelly D. and Katherine B. Horgen. Food Fight: The Inside Story of the Food Industry, America's Obesity Crisis, and What We Can Do About It. New York: McGraw-Hill/Contemporary Books, 2004.

Pollan, Michael. In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto. New York: The Penguin Press, 2008.

Requirements

1. Concept Sheets. Once each week students are required to turn in a completed Concept Sheet. These sheets pertain to the topics discussed in that week's reading and lectures and may cover material from either of the two classes during a given week. These will be graded on quality, not length, and are generally 1-2 pages. The purpose is to entice thought, encourage students to take or challenge controversial stands, and foster creativity.

2. Op-Ed. Opinion/Editorial pieces can be a powerful means of communicating ideas, framing key social issues, and proposing change. Central to social change and the social movements that sustain it (one theme of the class) is a philosophy of activism and the willingness and ability to communicate effectively and widely. One of the class requirements is for students to develop an Op/Ed piece and submit a final version to a publication of their choice. The grade will not depend on whether the piece is accepted for publication or where the piece is submitted.

3. Midterm and Final examinations. A midterm exam will be given on October 15 and the final exam on the last day of class, December 3. The material in lectures and the readings will overlap only partially, so to score well on the exams it will be important to attend lectures and do the readings. The final exam will not be cumulative and hence will cover material only from the midterm to the end of the term.

4. Final Project/Paper. Each student will prepare a paper or complete a project of their definition. The deadline is firm; one half grade will be deducted for every day the paper is late. A paper should be 10-12 pages, not including references, tables, or figures. The paper/project may take one of the following forms:

A. Research Proposal. The student identifies an interesting and important research question, undertakes a review of pertinent literature, and describes a study that would address the question. Examples might be at what age does food advertising begin to affect children, would food taxes affect consumption, are genetically modified foods safe, will people overeat "healthier" versions of products like chips and French fries feeling they are lower in calories, and how do public perceptions of the food industry affect public policy?

B. Placing Experience in the Broad Context. Students may choose to volunteer or work in a setting pertinent to the topics of the class, and then write how the local experience relates to broader knowledge on the topic. For instance, a student working in a soup kitchen might interview its directors, then write about choices kitchens must make between feeding more people cheaper (unhealthier) foods and serving healthier foods to fewer individuals, reviewing what has been written on the topic from other settings. A student working in the Yale Sustainable Food Project could integrate that experience with what is known globally. Please discuss how the knowledge you acquire from the broader context might be used to improve local programs. Please obtain permission of the instructor to insure the proposed topic fits with the aim of the assignment.

C. Independent Project. Students may choose to create a project of their own, say a film, a video of children's food ads documenting themes used to sell food, a presentation that might be used in schools, an analysis of legal cases on a particular topic, etc. Students may work with a partner or as a team, but the amount of work should reflect the number of people involved, and the same grade will be assigned to those participating in a team or group. This option affords students the opportunity to be creative and to pursue work in a medium of interest to them. Please obtain permission from the instructor.

Grading

Concept sheets: 15%
Opinion/Editorial pieces: 15%
Midterm examination: 20%
Final examination: 25%
Final paper/project: 25%

Sessions

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