ILAS Seminar-E2 :Food Systems in Asia

Numbering Code U-LAS70 10002 SE50 Year/Term 2022 ・ Second semester
Number of Credits 2 Course Type seminar
Target Year Mainly 1st year students Target Student For all majors
Language English Day/Period Tue.5
Instructor name Hart Nadav FEUER (Graduate School of Agriculture Associate Professor)
Outline and Purpose of the Course This interactive seminar is about the contemporary transformation of food, nutrition, and agriculture in East and Southeast Asia. The content of the course will be both familiar and challenging to anyone who has eaten different cuisines in Asia. We will cover the development of local cuisines, the role of farmers, and the evolution of diet in modern society. The perspective will be both practical (How does society gather and eat?) and theoretical (Why food systems developed the way they did). Weekly activities involving food, such as tasting, smelling, cooking, are an important learning tool and a fun part of the seminar.
Course Goals Students will learn how scientists understand and analyze global food trends from multiple perspectives. Students will also test their skills in an applied way by analyzing specific cuisines in East Asia and providing their own insight and analysis.
Schedule and Contents Module 1: Cuisines and agri-food systems in different regions
1. Introduction and Staple Foods
2. Rice food systems of East Asia
3. Wheat food systems of East Asia
4. Rice-based vs. Wheat-based Agrifood Systems

Module 2: Field Trip
5. Field Trip: Kobatake Farm near Sonobe. This event will take place on a weekend day (a Saturday or Sunday between the 4th and 6th class meeting, after consideration of student schedules). It will coincide with rice transplanting (Spring Semester) or harvest (Autumn Semester) period, and include some physical work on the farm. Students should be prepared for early departure and early evening return. Make sure to have clothing and shoes that can become dirty. For students who cannot join the field trip, an alternative class activity will be organized. Transportation costs may be free (shared van up to 9 students) or up to 1,180 yen (return train to Sonobe), depending on class size. Students are responsible for their own lunch. Effort will be made to enable participation in case of financial burden.

6. Field trip followup and Challenges of Traditional Farm Systems

Module 3: Food systems and cuisine
7. Rural food, urban cuisine, national cuisine
8. Taste, smell, chew: sensory skills of eating

Module 4: Learning about food
9. Food education and childhood
10. Nutrition of historical food systems
11. Food system disruptions

Module 5: Student Presentations (order selected later)
12. Cuisine of Korea
13. Cuisine of Vietnam
14. Cuisine of Malaysia

15. Essay and Feedback Period (details in class)
Evaluation Methods and Policy 10% Attendance and active participation (* More than 3 absences without official excuse loses this grade)
15% Mini-essay assignments
15% In-class discussion and participation in activities
30% Final exam OR essay
30% Final group presentation
Course Requirements English proficiency suitable for understanding lectures, reading basic texts, and participating in class discussion.
Study outside of Class (preparation and review) Students will be expected to do short readings in preparation for class and discuss them the following week. Suitable readings for all English levels are available. Alternatively, students will do practical exercises which must be submitted the following week.
Textbooks Textbooks/References No textbook, but consultation of in-class materials and eBooks available at Kyoto University Library (see Reference book).
References, etc. Food Culture in Southeast Asia, Van Esterik, Penny, (Greenwood), ISBN:9780313344190, eBook available from instructor
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