Course Syllabus

JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY

COURSE CODE: "SOSC/ITS 220-3"
COURSE NAME: "Italian Food Culture"
SEMESTER & YEAR: Spring 2026

SYLLABUS

INSTRUCTOR: Jenn Lindsay
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS: MW 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS: 45
CREDITS: 3
PREREQUISITES:
OFFICE HOURS:

COURSE DESCRIPTION:
Italy's deep-rooted network of local food knowledge is an excellent example for students to understand what food culture is, how food scenarios changed with industrialization, and how they are evolving further today. This course presents students with the basic tools necessary for better understanding Italian food culture. Its broad perspective encompasses traditional farming and processing techniques, the industrial and global food economy and changing consumption habits. Its anthropological approach draws from classical and modern writing. Italy is world-famous for its produce diversity and vibrant peasant traditions. By exploring the complex set of influences forming the Italian food culture, students will acquire an analytical approach enabling them to read through the other "foodscapes" that they encounter in their home country or abroad, and eventually choose, value and embrace career paths into the food sector. Even apparently simple, everyday food staples contain layers of significance connecting to the following topics: the peculiar man-nature relationship needed for their production; preserving and cooking techniques; the influences from foreign cooking philosophies and/or crops; the pressure of the global market; and the type of socialization involved during the meal.

SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:

The saying, “A tavola non s’invecchia” (“One doesn’t age at the supper table”) expresses the importance of food and eating for Italians. In this course, we will examine the relationship between food and culture in Italy, from the ancient world to the present, through a variety of readings, class discussion and some personal and practical experience (see syllabus below for details).
Because the study of food culture in Italy invites comparison with your own alimentary habits, we will examine the culture and meaning of food in Italy and in your own country. If “we are what we eat”, then “what” we choose to eat affects many aspects of our lives.

The study of food culture is an interdisciplinary study. Even though the sociological point of view will be the main one, during our reading, class discussion and lecture we will touch upon a wide range of academic fields: anthropology, history, economics literature, religious studies, and philosophy.

Besides studying food culture through readings, written assignments, and class discussion, students will undertake ethnographic research assignments around Rome that will enhance their classroom experience.
The course will be taught through a variety of readings, class discussions and presentations and there will also be some practical experiences.

LEARNING OUTCOMES:

Demonstrate knowledge of essential elements of contemporary Italian culture and society related to the topic of food using the historical and cultural studies frameworks.
Compare and contrast one’s own cultural values with those of Italian culture.
Critically analyze a cultural item, identifying key issues and themes, style and form.
Demonstrate information literacy skills that would enable them to conduct good quality bibliographical research, consult academic electronic sources and master citation techniques with competence and in accordance with anti-plagiarism standards and regulations.
Demonstrate written and oral communication skills with suitable accuracy and confidence.

TEXTBOOK:

NONE

REQUIRED RESERVED READING:

NONE

RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:

NONE

GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:

Assignment	Guidelines	Weight
Weekly Journal	Due Sunday nights at 11:59pm. Personal reflection on required readings mentioned by title, plus one episode of either the podcast Gola or a video episode from list in Weeks 1-5. 400+ words. NOT a summary of readings. Writing counts. Graded at the end. 4 Weekly Challenges.	35
Participation and Presentation	Ask questions, don’t sleep, etc. No laptops in class. Presentation on international foodstuff.	15
Midterm Ethnographic Research Paper	Shop, cook, eat and observe, analyze, reflect. Instructions provided on Handout.	25
Final Exam	Cumulative in-class exam featuring vocabulary definitions, short answer questions and an essay.	25

-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course. NOTE: An A signifies mastery. Work at this level demonstrates originality, analytical depth, and clarity, and would be appropriate as a writing sample for a graduate school application. An A- is a strong grade indicating solid achievement with room for further growth.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised. There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluate theory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture and reference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material. Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included. In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.

-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance is mandatory. Students may incur three unexcused absences without penalty. After that, each successive absence will result in a 2% deduction on the final course grade. Absences may be excused with a doctor's note or administrative approval.

Examination absence policy: A major exam (midterm or final) cannot be made up without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed.

Grade scale:

A = 93-100%

A- = 90-92%

B+ = 87-89%

B = 83-86%

B- = 80-82%

C+ = 77-79%

C = 73-76%

C- = 70-72%

D+ = 67-69%

D = 60-66%

F = 0-59%

LATE WORK POLICY: Submitting late work is always preferable to submitting nothing. Assignments submitted after the stated deadline will incur the following penalties: Up to 6 hours late: −0.5 points. Work submitted 6–24 hours late: −1 point. Work submitted 24–48 hours late: −2 points. Work submitted more than 48 hours late: −3 points. After the semester’s final deadline for all coursework, late work will be penalized 10 percentage points per day, with no exceptions.

EXTENSIONS POLICY: Extensions must be requested no later than 24 hours before the assignment deadline. Requests made within 24 hours of the deadline will not be considered except in documented emergencies. If an extension is granted, the student must include the following exact phrase at the top of the submitted assignment:“Extension granted by professor.” If this phrase does not appear in the assignment, the extension is considered null and void, and standard late penalties will apply.

All work granted an extension must be submitted in two places:

On the course Moodle page
Via email to the professor’s official John Cabot University email address

No extensions of any kind are permitted after the semester’s final deadline for all coursework.

COMMUNICATIONS POLICY: For all course-related communication, students must e-mail the professor at her johncabot.edu email address, or speak with her in person during class or office hours. Do not use Moodle messaging, as these messages frequently go to spam and may not be seen. Failure to follow these communication guidelines does not constitute an excuse for missed deadlines or misunderstandings.

POLICY ON AI-ASSISTED COURSEWORK: First and foremost: do not cheat yourself. This is your education. Just as calculators are restricted in early mathematics education to ensure foundational mastery, this course requires students to develop their own reading, thinking, and writing skills without AI assistance. The use of AI tools for any portion of submitted work—including but not limited to ChatGPT, Grammarly, or other generative or rewriting tools—is strictly prohibited and will be considered plagiarism, in accordance with university policy on academic integrity. Note that the professor has a very high accuracy rate in identifying AI-assisted submissions. If AI-assisted work is submitted, the student will receive an F on the assignment. If questioned, a student may be asked to demonstrate authorship by providing document editing history, and/or completing an oral assessment demonstrating genuine comprehension of cited texts and the assignment workflow. If a student submits AI-assisted work a second time, they will receive an F in the course.

ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred. In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment, may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation to the President, who will make the final decision.

STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap. Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.

SCHEDULE

WEEK/DAY	TOPIC	READING	NOTES
WK 1, DAY 1, Jan 19	Course introduction and overview	Anderson, EN.Everyone Eats: Understanding Food and Culture.Introduction (p. 1-9) and Chapter 4: The Senses: Taste, Smell, and the Adapted Mind.	Homework: Google Form survey.
WK 1, DAY 2, Jan 21	Mindful eating	Kostioukovitch, Elena.Why Italians Love to Talk About Food. Both Forwards and Preface. Lindsay, Jenn. “Culinary Pluralism; or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Olive.”	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 2, DAY 1, Jan 26	The sociological study of culture and identity. Food rules and deviance.	Page, Mich. “Eating Your Life Script: Anchoring Identity.” Krebs, John.Food: A Very Short Introduction.Chapter 1: “The Gourmet Ape”
WK 2, DAY 2, Jan 28	Socioeconomic Status and Food, Part 1	Gabaccia, Donna.We Are What We Eat: Ethnic Food and the Making of America.Introduction: “What Do We Eat?”	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal Finish signing up for weekly presentations (topics can be approved on ongoing basis)
WK 3, DAY 1, Feb 2	Roman Food, then and now.	Standage, Tom.A History of the World in 6 Glasses.“Wine in Ancient Rome,” pp 32-51 of PDF.
WK 3, DAY 2, Feb 4	Roman Food cont’d	King, Crystal.Feast of Sorrow Cookbook.Excerpts.pdf	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal Week 3 Challenge:Try a regional delicacy, in Rome and/or beyond. Do some research about it. (This task can be switched to another week according to your travel plans.)
WK 3, DAY 3 (MAKEUP DAY), Feb 6	Arabic Sicily	Caldesi, Katie and Giancarlo.Rome—Centuries in an Italian Kitchen.“Introduction.” Grescoe, “Culinary Detectives Try to Recover the Formula for a Deliciously Fishy Roman Condiment.”
WK 4, DAY 1/2, Feb 9 and 11	Food in the Middle Ages and Renaissance	Pilcher, Jeffrey.Food in World History."The First World Cuisine.” Dickie, John.Delizia!The Epic History of the Italians and their Food. Choose between: -Ch 5: Rome, 1468: Respectable Pleasure; -Ch 6: Ferrara, 1529, A Dynasty at Table: Cauldron and Trowel -Ch 7: Rome, 1549–50, Bread and Water for Their Eminences: The Pope’s Secret Cook	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 5, DAY 1, Feb 16	The Columbian Exchange	Pilcher, Jeffrey.Food in World History.“The Columbian Exchange.”
WK 5, DAY 2, Feb 18	Columbian Exchange: Tomatoes and Potatoes	Beauchamp, Danny. “The Invisible Labor of Food by Annibale Carracci.”	Due SUNDAY: Weekly reading journal
WK 6, DAY 1 and 2, February 23 and 25	Religion and Food.	Bynum, Caroline,Holy Feast and Holy Fast: The Religious Significance of Food to Medieval Women.Read either or both chapters. Stein and Isaacs,Let’s Eat: Jewish Food and Faith, “Introduction.”
WK 7, DAY 1, March 2	The Jews of Rome (in-class)	Traverso, Vittoria. “Has Rome Declared an Artichoke War?” Guetta, Benedetta Jasmine.Cooking alla Giudia. “Introduction” (pp. 9-21). Venzo, MI and Migliau, B.The Racial Laws and The Jewish Community of Rome.Excerpts.
WK 7, DAY 2, March 4	The Jews of Rome (walking tour)		Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
SPRING BREAK
WK 8, DAY 1, March 16	Food in the 19th Century: Pre-unification and Flagship Foods	Montanari, Massimo. Excerpts fromItalian Identity in the Kitchen, or Food and the Nation.Pages 7-23 of PDF and “Macaroni Eaters: How a National Stereotype Arose.”	Due Sunday: Midterm check-in journal (Extra credit this week) Week 8 Challenge: go to a food market and buy ingredients for a meal that you prepare and eat. See here for a list of some good ones:https://devourtours.com/blog/food-markets-rome/?cnt=IT. Don’t forget to look at Ch 3 of Minchilli, Elizabeth’sEating Rome.
WK 8, DAY 2, March 18	Socioeconomic Status and Food Part 2	Mader Emily. “Naples: From Leaf-eaters to Pasta-eaters.” Braun, Adee. “Eating Spaghetti by the Fistful Was Once a Neapolitan Street Spectacle”	Due Sunday: Ethnographic research paper
WK 9, DAY 1, March 23	Italian food after Unification andPellegrino Artusi: Food as an Italian Identity Agenda	Artusi, Pellegrino.The science in the kitchen and the art of eating well.Foreword and Introduction.	Week 9 Challenge:Compare pizza romana (thin crust), pizza napoletana (high crust), pinsa, and pizza a taglio/pizza alla pala.
WK 9, DAY 2, March 25	Pizza and Pasta	Moyer-Nocchi, Karima.Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita.“The Pasta Industry” and “The Pizza Effect.”	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 10, DAY 1, March 30	Food in the Fascist Era and during World War 2	Moyer-Nocchi, Karima.Chewing the Fat: An Oral History of Italian Foodways from Fascism to Dolce Vita.“Giulia” and “Renata.” Dickie, John.Delizia!The Epic History of the Italians and their Food. “Miracle Food,” pp. 280-300.
WK 10, DAY 2, April 1	Regional Foods, DOC/IGP	Severgnini, Beppe.La Bella Figura. “The Restaurant: One Way of Sitting in Judgement.” (pp 25-32 in PDF).	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 11, April 8	Food and Crime	Rizzuti, Alice. “Organised Food Crime: An Analysis of the Involvements of Organised Crime Groups in the Food Sector in England and Italy.” Gabaccia, Donna.We Are What We Eat Ethnic Food and the Making of America.Chapter 6, “The Big Business of Food.”	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 12, April 13 and 15	Big Food: Globalization and Industrialization The Mediterranean Diet	Pilcher, Jeffrey.Food in World History."The Industrial Kitchen and McDonaldization.” Blum, Deborah. “The Return of the Great American Stomachache.”	Week 12 Challenge:Push yourself to eat something that you (think you) don't like. Eat something that scares you! Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 13, DAY 1, April 20	Fast food; the internationalization of Italian food	Scego, Igiaba. “Sausages.” Pilcher, Jeffrey.Food in World History.“Spaghetti and Meatballs.” Krebs, John.Food: A Very Short Introduction.Chapter 3: “When Food Goes Wrong.”
WK 13, DAY 2, April 22	The Slow Food Movement	Wartman, Kristin. “Food Fight: The Politics of the Food Industry.”	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal
WK 14, April 27 and 29	Conclusions, final exam review Il dolce far’ niente--the sweetness of doing nothing…	Gabaccia, Donna.We Are What We Eat Ethnic Food and the Making of America. Conclusion, “Who Are We?” Mariani, John F.How Italian Food Conquered the World.Introduction.	Due Sunday: Weekly reading journal. This week,reflect on the course as a whole. Final journal and all unfinished coursework submitted by midnight on the final Sunday of finals week. No extensions and no exceptions.
WK 15	FINAL EXAM.	In class, written exam.