OVERVIEW

The teaching aims to promote an in-depth and critical understanding of the role that food consumption plays in contemporary society through a sociological perspective. Part of the course will be dedicated to examining how food choices and practises are shaped by a complex network of social, cultural, economic and environmental factors.. This course aims to develop a critical awareness of food practises and their links with social and cultural changes in order to prepare students to face the challenges of our time in an aware and informed way.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

After deepening the theoretical foundations, the course aims to foster the development of analytical and critical skills to examine contemporary food trends, food policies and consumption practises in an informed and conscious way, always focussing on the ethical and sustainable implications of choices. It also aims to promote a critical assessment of economic inequalities and systems of power to show how access to food and the quality of nutrition are unequally distributed between different social groups. Particular attention will be paid to the Mediterranean region, and Liguria in particular, by analysing local food traditions and the socio-cultural influences that have shaped them Finally, special attention will be paid to the intersections between food, sustainability and climate change to provide a clear understanding of how food choices, both at an individual and collective level, can affect the environment and the future of our planet.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

Knowledge and understanding: Students will have acquired an adequate knowledge and effective understanding of the fundamentals of the sociology of food consumption.

Ability to apply knowledge and understanding: Students will be able to apply acquired knowledge to understand and solve problems related to contemporary consumption trends and practises.

Autonomous judgement: Students are able to apply the acquired knowledge both conceptually and operationally and have autonomous evaluation competences and skills in different application contexts.

Communication skills: Students will have the technical language necessary to communicate clearly and unambiguously with both professionals and non-professionals.

Learning skills: Students will have developed appropriate study skills to enable them to continue to explore the main themes of the subject area in greater depth independently, particularly in the work contexts in which they will be working.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHING METHODS

The teaching is organised in lectures complemented by discussions, meetings with experts and visits to cultural sites to ensure strong student engagement and interaction with the lecturer.

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

The first part of the  teaching introduces the relationship between food and society and examines the role of food from the perspective of the classics of sociology. The second part focuses on food and food consumption, examining the social factors that influence consumer food choices. The third part deals with the interactions between the body, nutrition and health. The last part of the course deals with the agricultural and food cultures of the Mediterranean, with a particular focus on the regional culture of Liguria.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

Class materials prepared by the instructor and an additional extensive bibliography will be made available on the Moodle AulaWeb platform.

Students not attending the course must contact the instructor to arrange additional reading.

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

GAIA COTTINO (President)

ANNA SIRI (President)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

First semester (from 23-09-24 to 20-12-2024)

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Written examination (multiple choice and open questions).

The questions are designed to assess both the level of understanding of theoretical concepts and the ability to reason with these concepts. The questions on theoretical concepts assess the level of understanding. The questions requiring logical reasoning assess the level of competence and independence of judgement that the student has developed.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Learning of the discipline is certified by the student's ability to master the knowledge by understanding its meaning and significance from a sociological perspective and by demonstrating the ability to productively associate and apply it to the solution of practical problems.

Exam schedule

FURTHER INFORMATION

Students who have a valid certificate of physical or learning disability on file with the University and who wish to discuss any adjustments or other circumstances related to classes, courses and examinations should speak with both the instructor and Professor Federico Scarpa (federico.scarpa@unige.it), the Polytechnic's Disability Coordinator.