May Term at SC is a sprint... 3 weeks, 5 days a week, 3 hours in class +2 or more hours of work outside of class everyday M-F.

So far in Religion & Food,.... students have

Looked at how religion impacts the food system at every level: agricultural production (farmer protests & gleaners), processing (halal and kosher certifications), distribution (food pantries), marketing ("buddha" bowls anyone?) +consumption (communal, ritual, everyday)

Talked about how food laws can be studied comparatively through different approaches to religion: contrasting approaches of explanation (jeff kripal) and rich description (elizabeth perez) to interfaith discussions pursuing mutual understanding & accomodation

Discussed the relation of myth and food-ritual with reference to Annapurna, Seder, Eucharist, and Santa. (Emphasis on myth ≠ lie, mythical status isn't about historical facticity.) Then looked at Taco Chronicles Cochinita Taco as "ritually"-produced.

How are worries about authenticity of regional specialties the same or different from ritual regulation?

Today we picked up a thread on how some religious practices (w or w/o food) are protected and others are contested. So after having watch @andrewmarkhenry's video previously we did small group projects on Santeria, Candomble, and Vodou. (obvs, goal is introduction not mastery.)

We ended class today (remember, we had 3 hours) with a brief mention of use of food in rituals for/companionship with the grieving. I didn't get into a discussion of cannibalism (I thought about it). Instead we talked about emotional eating, self-care, community food preparation.

Students did pair interviews we will talk about more tomorrow.

So that's how the first week is going and we still have another day yet.

Meanwhile students are keeping food diaries for the week to analyze next week.

Picking up this thread as I think through the plans for the day. Last Friday students planned an imaginary meal, we then discussed the ways in which aspects of their planning reflected formality, intentional de-formality, etiquette, and the relatioship between host and setting.