HST61021 Food and Drink

Module summary

Food and drink are not just fundamental to human survival; they are interwoven into every aspect of life, from economic exchange, politics and governance, to culture, identities and habits. Moreover – since the ways in which food and drink are produced, distributed and consumed have varied with time, place, culture and climate – they offer important insights into historical societies and cultures around the globe and across time. 

This module engages with the big themes in food and drink history and explores them through case studies taken from different geographical, chronological and cultural contexts. We will study issues such as famine and food management; trade and the global diffusion of foodstuffs; diet, health and medicine; national, regional and social identities; industrialisation, technologies and commercialisation; recipes, preparation and cuisine; consumption practices and manners; and literary representations and material cultures. 

Through this, the module will introduce you to the possibilities of historical research into diverse foodstuffs – from caffeinated drinks and alcohols to pulses and grains – for understanding the historical societies that they sustained.