German 67. Essen, Fressen, Mahlzeit und Prost! Esskultur auf Deutsch

Instructor

Pirozhenko

Date/Time

T TH 9:00 am - 10:15 am

We need food to live. Consisting of protein, carbohydrates, fat, and other nutrients, food provides energy for our bodies. We have our own food preferences, dietary restrictions, family dishes, tastes, table manners, and more. What does food tell us about who we are as an individual and as a social group? Through examining German-language texts, we will look at food from a range of perspectives:  history, art, culture, memory, genetics, ethics, and sustainability. Departing from the idea of meal as a ritual and food as an influential symbol of cultural meaning, we will investigate significance of gluttony and starvation in fairy tales by Brothers Grimm, hunger in Kafka’s A Hunger Artist, food preparation as artistry in Akin’s Soul Kitchen, the intricate connection between history, fast food, and memory in Timm’s The Invention of Curried Sausage and Saul’s Kebab Connection, and we will uncover implicit gender assumptions in Vanderbeke’s The Mussel Feast. We will broaden our understanding of food by discussing regional, national, and religious dishes, genetically modified produce, and eating animals and animal food (for example in Duve’s Eating Decently). Beyond the acquisition of critical analytical skills, this course will broaden your spoken and written German and refine your vocabulary and grammar.