NUFD 153 DYNAMICS OF FOOD AND SOCIETY Ethnic Foodways Research Project and Presentation 1. Assignment Description Foodways are the combined social, economic, material and cultural practices that determine the way people eat. Throughout history and across the world, foodways have always been dynamic. When immigrants come to the United States, they bring with them distinctive foodways. These foodways become transformed as a result of influences from more dominant foodways, but they also may influence dominant foodways in turn (consider pizza, for instance). Therefore, it is important to understand how ethnic foodways shape and are shaped by places (think Little Italy, Chinatown, etc.). Your objective in this assignment is to choose an ethnic foodway, study it in detail, and submit a narrated presentation. You will research the background of a specific cultural foodway including their history of immigration and assimilation to the United States. In your research you will also investigate, how the ethnic foodway you choose may differ or remain the same in the United States and the country of origin? For example, if you choose Japanese culture- how did sushi become part of that culture and how may it be served differently in America versus Japan. You will develop a research question based on this such as, “How does sushi differ in Japan versus the United States? 2. Assignment Components Choosing a Topic/Culture You may choose a culture that you are familiar with or something totally new to you. I would like as much diversity among the class with topics as possible. Background Research You are required to consult and cite at least three academic/scholarly sources, which may include academic articles or academic online encyclopedias. You are welcome to use additional non-academic sources, just make sure to use at least three academic sources. Let me know if you have any trouble finding sources. There are a few topics that must be covered in your background research: How the worldview/ideologies of the culture are expressed through its food ways in the country of origin (what are important values, what are values/meanings are associated with food/cuisine and food rituals, etc.) How political, economic, and sociocultural power structures have shaped the foodway historically and in the present (If you are studying a Caribbean foodway, you may research how colonization, the spice trade, or the slave trade influenced foodways.) For the present, processes like the nutrition transition, globalization, food trade, may all create influences on the foodway. What are some of the major food imports/exports? How do they impact the economy? What is the state of food security in the country you are investigating? History of immigration of that culture/ethnicity to the United States and current demographics. History of a specific food, food ritual, or ingredient from that culture and how it has been adapted within the United States. Since you may no longer be able to do an in person interview or visit a site to experience the food culture, you will need to find video content online to learn more from experts on the culture you choose. Provide a link and summary to the online content. If you are able to try a specific food from that culture, a review of the food can be included. It is understandable that you may not be able to access certain restaurants/cultural food at this time, so it is not required. e. Presentation Your presentation should be done using a presentation program such as Google slides and it should last approximately 10-15 minutes. You will need to narrate and record your slide presentation. To do this you will use a program called Loom. Presentations should be based on this format but please feel free to expand: Intro slide with title Research question Background research (can go before research question): - Historical power structures related to the food way - Contemporary power structures related to the food way - World views/ideologies related to the food way in the country of origin -History of immigration to the United States and current demographics - Background on food, food ritual or ingredient from that culture. - How may it differ from how it is served in the United States? - How has this food been adapted to cuisine within the United States Research from interview and/or video (you should include link(s) to the video(s)) Analysis and answer to research question Connect experience to understanding of cultural competency Conclusion References in APA style