Chatham University
ER-7: Sustainability-Related Courses

Sustainability Related Courses

1. FST 505 - Food and Representations (3)
Focus on representations of food and eating in public contexts, from literature to policy, popular culture, marketing, and political rhetoric, but also including scientific, agricultural, and culinary discourses. Texts include advertising, research reports. This class examines the varying meanings assigned to agriculture, food, and eating.

2. FST 508 - Food Systems (3)
Examines philosophical, sociological, economic, and cultural issues related to the production and consumption of food. From Agrarianism to the Green Revolution, explores the transformations of industrialization, technology, and migration. Provides a foundation in food systems and commodity chains as concepts and methodological tools for uncovering the relationship between communities, agriculture, markets, and consumers.

3. FST 509 - Food Access (3)
If food is a basic human right, how do societies create universal access to food? In this course, we explore the moral and ethical basis for making citizens food secure despite global inequality. Major topics include the relationship between food access, culturally appropriateness, nutrition, sustainability, and justice.

4. FST 510 - Food, Culture and History (3)
Provides an overview of food and diet in transnational history emphasizing cultural impact of modernity on food gathering, farming, plant biology, the body and consumption, health, taste, and cuisine. Topics include the development of agriculture, the causes of famine, the disruptions of colonialism, global exchange, industrialization, migration, and commercial economic dominance of the food system.

5. FST 511 - Research Methods: Food (3)
Introduction to social science research methods applicable to the study of food and culture. Practicum includes ethnography, interviews, focus groups, survey research, oral history, textual analysis, cultural mapping, and visual methods. Applied approach to research: students will produce data for practical use in existing community projects or thesis preparation.

6. FST 512 - Practical Nutrition (3)
Course provides an overview of nutrition as an evidence-based research field, focusing on groups and communities where research is conducted and then applied. Topics include science and politics of food categories; supplements and functional foods; weight and disordered eating, commercial, local, organic, and conventional foods; cuisine, culture, and diet.

7. FST 513 - Food, Labor, and Inequality (3)
Course examines how food labors shape historical, political, and social contexts. From nomadic egalitarianism, agrarian politics, industrial stratification to global technological disparities, we explore the uneven compensation and status created in domestic settings, restaurants, factories, and farms. Research on contemporary food labor practices and relevant policies is emphasized.

8. FST 515 - Writing about Food (3)
Students will develop techniques and skills for writing about food and culture by studying ethics; journalism, advertising, multimodal and new technology venues; recipe writing; food criticism; writing about food in a variety of genres from history to fiction, magazines and websites. Course emphasizes both print and online media. Cross-listed with ENG 513.

9. FST 516 - Comparative Cuisines (3)
This course focuses on cuisine as a conceptual tool for understanding culture, geography, and environment. Explorations include: the development of cuisine, the relationship between nation-building and culinary doctrine, literacy and cultural preservation, colonialism, empire, and appropriation. Narratives explore migration, ethnic and racial identity, gender and traditionalism, peasant and elite foodways.

10. FST 518 - Business of Food and Agriculture (3)
Course covers both history and current practices related to food and agriculture as economic enterprises in the United States and the world. Skills include ability to understand strategic management principles including identifying target markets, niche marketing. Students will be able to develop an agricultural project or food business plan including understanding barriers of entry, compiling demographic data, developing feasibility studies, long and short term business goals, define and calculate a breakeven point, and budget formulation.

11. FST 522 - GIS: Food and Agriculture (3)
This course will provide students with a solid foundation of the principles and applications of GIS, an introduction to the desktop software ArcGIS, and will demonstrate its use in the public sectors. Skills learned in other courses can be brought to this course and built upon. Students will focus on their particular interests and projects.

12. FST 531 - Fermentation (3)
Through hands on production, tastings and lectures this course is designed to provide students with an understanding of winemaking principles and practices including a history of viticulture, wine production regions, wine types/styles, methods of winemaking, basics of fermentation, wine chemistry and winery operations. Active experience in the principles of sensory evaluation will be gained through weekly tastings. Students will produce root beer, beer, sake, local mead and vinegar to gain an understanding of various fermentation methods. An emphasis will be placed on sustainable viniculture practices and the globalization of wines.

13. FST 602 - Global Agriculture (2)
Examines how contemporary agricultural era is characterized by the simultaneous existence of radically different farming systems within the same region. Course explores prior examples historically and regionally. Focus is then on what makes the contemporary agricultural age different, including respect for ‘traditional’ approaches as viable ‘alternatives’; social and scientific research supporting alternatives; farmers/practitioner awareness of options; and consumer-citizens driven awareness and advocacy.      

14. FST 603 - Food Journeys (3)
From the Columbian Exchange to Eco-tourism, food travels the world and the traveler journeys through food. This course examines historical and contemporary writing on food and geographic movement. Topics include culinary adventuring, anti-colonialist eating, and the migrant food voice. Analysis of memoirs, cookbooks, and travelogues culminates in publishable food journeys.

15. FST 604 - Food, Social Change and Health (3)
Food and health are inextricably intertwined in modern cultures. Course explores the historical relationship between physical well-being and consumption, from body weight to food fads. The course examines the history of food-related social movements, policy mandates and collective action. Global environmental concerns, gender politics and public health policies are key topics.

16. FST 610 - Culture and Politics of Meat (3)
Meat is one of the most prized and problematic aspects of our food system. It is one of the key issues in environmental degradation through agriculture, but it is also the most celebrated component of new sustainable food initiatives. Large scale meat consumption can signal either a rise or decline in overall global health. This course will examine the culture, politics, history, and contemporary debates about the production and consumption of animals by humans.

17. FST 683 - Special Topics: Pittsburgh Food Landscape (3)
Using theories of collective memory, methods of culinary and oral history, and techniques from cultural geography, this course examines components of the food universe of Allegheny County and Pittsburgh, focusing on the way its distinctive ethnic and class history resulting in specific traditions, culinary creations, and entrepreneurial endeavors related to selling and consuming food.

18. FST 691, 692 - Internship (1) (2)
Internship placement will focus on local nonprofits, advocacy groups, community projects, food companies, farms, co-ops, food producers, and policy agencies. Directed experience can include developing products, community knowledge, food system data, or promotional materials (course requires instructor signature).

19. FST 693 - Field Work Practicum (3)
Students in 3 credit internships will have regular meetings as a group and individually with the supervising academic professor in order to address ethical, logistical, and intellectual issues related to community-based work in Food Studies (course requires instructor signature).

20. FST 698 - Thesis/Project (1)
Course provides supervision and research guidance for Master’s thesis or projects in Food Studies. Students will have instruction in data analysis, writing for public presentation and publication, professional development workshops, and community development issues.

21. FST 699 - Pro-Seminar (3)
Professional development seminar including workshops on negotiation, networking, public presentation, publication, and communication. Includes guest speakers and event management opportunities.