Food and Society

Code School Level Credits Semesters
BIOS2113 Biosciences 2 20 Full Year UK
Code
BIOS2113
School
Biosciences
Level
2
Credits
20
Semesters
Full Year UK

Summary

This module concerns the roles, functions and values of food and nutrition in the social world, and how they shape, and are shaped by, social processes. 

In the Autumn, students explore food and social thought, appraising diverse social perspectives on food, nutrition, and health. Students are challenged to develop their sociological imagination, as they learn classical sociological theory concerning the ‘big’ ideas about food and society, and later more radical contemporary perspectives. A weekly photo captioning exercise gives students the opportunity to make sense of their own experience of food, and how it interacts with the world around them. Different social ideas are taught each year, reflecting the dynamic and ever-evolving nature of food and society. 

In the Spring, the theoretical ideas are put into action, as we imagine new ways of using food to improve social experience, by exploring people-led, grassroots actions which support healthy diets through processes of social change. Each lecture serves as a showcase of grassroots food and nutrition activity, seeing people taking control of the food system to improve health and social justice. Salutogenesis, the social process of health creation, will come to life as we showcase brilliant innovations in local communities, celebrating the value of food in supporting healthy spaces and lives. 

The final assessment for this module will see you visit a grassroots initiative, to undertake an ethnographic exploration of how people are using food to develop communities and change the world. You will write a reflective, theoretical account of what you experienced, and use it to propose actions you can undertake as a nutritionist to provide support.

Target Students

BSc (hons) Nutrition students (UK only). There are a limited number of additional places on this module available to students on BSc (hons) Food Science and BSc (hons) Food Science and Nutrition, who may be accepted onto the module after discussion with both the module convenor and their course director.

Classes

All of Autumn sessions co-taught with ‘Food and Social Thought’ module. All of Spring sessions co-taught with ‘Food and Social Action’ module.

Assessment

Assessed in both autumn & spring semest

Educational Aims

To introduce sociological theories and interpretations of food and nutrition.To promote multidimensional exploration of food, health, and the diet.To explore classical and contemporary social perspectives of the food system.To celebrate consumer and community potential in supporting dietary health.To empower immediate action to support grassroots food and nutrition activity.To provide basic training in qualitative research methods in nutritional science.

Learning Outcomes

Conveners

View in Curriculum Catalogue
Last updated 07/01/2025.