This option explores the political, social and cultural history of modern France since the late nineteenth century through one its most iconic characteristics: food and farming. We will begin with an anthropological exploration of some classic sites of the French 'empire of taste', such as the baguette or wine. We then look at ways in which the culture and politics of food have contributed to different ideas of what France is or should be: a sprawling colonial empire reliant on the crops grown within its boundaries, a Republic premised on specific forms of political freedom and economic equality, a cultural 'melting pot' in which rice or couscous symbolised fragile dreams of inclusive citizenship or anti-imperial resistance, a geopolitical player that championed EU agricultural policies but also nurtured environmental social movements and specific conservationist understandings of nature. Overall, the option delivers a deep history of modern France as it shaped and was shaped by food in all its forms.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
analyse and critically appraise key events and historical processes relevant to the subject under scrutiny
analyse and critically evaluate a wide range of relevant primary source material
critically evaluate the historiographical context and trends of the subject under exploration
summarise, synthesise and evaluate the subject material in a sophisticated written form
