Glasgow 204 - (270) 659-6948
http://people.wku.edu/barry.kaufkins/
FLK 379: Special Topics
Foodways:
The intersection of food & culture.
Required Texts:
Readings are due the day they
are listed on the course schedule. You are expected to arrive in class
having completed the readings and made earnest effort to understand them.
This means you should be able to answer questions about the readings and
contribute to class discussions with informed statements concerning their
meanings or possible interpretations. It is also important that you
demonstrate an ability to draw connections between various readings, lectures,
discussions, and the folklore that exists in your own life.
“Tell me what you eat, and I
will tell you what you are.”
--Jean
Brillat-Savarin, The Physiology of Taste
Grading:
*Assignments are due at the beginning of class on the day
they are listed on the course schedule. Please be advised that unexcused late work
will not be graded. Talk to me in
advance if you are having trouble completing an assignment or meeting a
specific deadline so special arrangements may be discussed. (This policy also applies to exams, quizzes,
etc.)
Reading quizzes- 100*
Food sharing- 25
Food diary- 50
Foodways ethnography- 100
Midterm- 100
Final- 100
Participation- 25**
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOTAL=
500 pts***
90%+=A, 80%+=B, 70%+=C, 60%+=D, lower than 60%=F
*Daily reading quizzes will cover readings listed for that day. See course schedule.
**This grade includes in-class assignments, discussion participation, field
trips, etc.
***Students are responsible for keeping up with their own grades.
Do not ask me what your average is or what your grades are. I only
calculate grades at the end of the semester. Please use the grading scale
above to keep up with your grade. (Divide total points earned by total
points possible to find your average at any given point in the semester.)
·
Student work may
be checked using plagiarism detection software.
There is a zero tolerance policy for acts of academic dishonesty
(plagiarism, cheating, etc.). Please
refer to the WKU Student Handbook for details on the university’s policy regarding academic
offenses. Plagiarism FAQ here.
·
Use of cell
phones/laptops (or any other electronic device) is not permitted. Failure to
comply with this policy will result in the deduction of participation points
and/or dismissal from class. (Exceptions
made under certain conditions. Speak
with me in advance.)
·
Extra credit
assignments may be completed during the course of the semester. See website for details on extra credit assignments.
Notice:
Students with disabilities who require
accommodations (academic adjustments, and/or auxiliary aids or services) for
this course must contact the Office for Student Disability Services (OFSDS),
“Our
eating turns nature into culture, transforming the body of the world into our
bodies and minds.”
-
Michael
Pollan, The
Omnivore's Dilemma
Folklore Minor
Undergraduate students at Western have a rare opportunity to take a broad
variety of folklore courses and also to minor in Folklore. A Folklore Minor is
fun, challenging, and involves many fascinating topics related to contemporary
American life. It also helps you to develop valuable and important critical and
problem solving skills for use in the complex personal, social, occupational,
and political environments in which we work and live. These skills will make
you a better candidate for employment, for admission into graduate programs in
many fields, and for advancement on just about any career path. Courses
include Introduction to Folklore, Urban Folklore, Cultural Diversity, Folklore
and Mass Media, Foodways, Roots of Southern Culture, Fieldwork Methods, Folk
Art and Technology, Folklore and the Supernatural, African-American Folklife,
and many more offerings. The Department of Folk Studies and Anthropology also
offers a Masters Degree in folklore. For more information, see Mr. Kaufkins or
the Folk Studies home page.
Popular Culture Studies Major
This course counts as an elective in the major in Popular Culture Studies. This program offers WKU undergraduates the chance to broaden their understanding of the arts and culture of everyday life including such areas as television, film, music, sports, advertising, customs and rituals. Through innovative interdisciplinary coursework the major helps students critically analyze a wide range of popular cultural forms, their uses by audiences, and their impact on the broader social, political and economic landscape. If you are interested in learning more about this exciting and innovative program, contact your instructor or check out the Popular Culture Studies website at www.wku.edu/pop.