Special Topics Course on German Foodways for Spring 2025

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This spring course will examine what German food and beverages can reveal about history, politics, economics, linguistics, migration and culture in general.

How did medieval property rights affect what peasants ate? What was the East German coffee substitute made of? Why did German settlers to Arkansas think their approach to food was superior to their English-speaking neighbors? What's up with the Reinheitsgebot anyway?

We'll explore all these questions and much more in this special topics seminar, which counts for the major and the minor. Yes, there will be cooking! All readings and class discussions in German. Pre-requisite: Advanced German I, Intro to Lit or instructor permission. The class meets from 5:15-7:45 p.m. Wednesdays.