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Anthropology of Food – (M.A.)

School of Oriental and African Studies

Faculty of Arts and Humanities

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Disciplines:
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Application Deadline: June 30
Annual Tuition Fee: ≈ € 6,885 - ≈ € 15,134 (non-EEA)
Location: London / United Kingdom / View location on map ▾ Hide location on map ▴
Duration: 12 months Start Date: September
Educational Form:
  • Taught
Education Variants:
  • Parttime
  • Fulltime
Languages: English 
-0.12922,51.5223

Location of School of Oriental and African Studies

Food is a fundamental human necessity, essential to the sustenance of the human body. At the same time, food may be associated with pleasure, passion, even luxury. Food is also essential to the social body. Who eats what, who eats with whom, and whose appetites are satisfied and whose denied, are all profoundly social dynamics through which identities, relationships, and hierarchies are created and reproduced.

The SOAS MA programme in the Anthropology of Food offers students the opportunity to explore historically and culturally variable foodways, from foraging to industrial agriculture, from Europe and North America to Africa, Asia and South America. The programme asks students to trace the passage of food from plant to palate, and to examine who benefits, and who suffers, from contemporary modes of food production, exchange, preparation, and consumption. Students examine food policy at national and international levels, as well as the role played in its formation by the food industry.

Focus is given to the study of famine and the controversial role of food aid in securing food supplies. Debates over the impact of agricultural biotechnology on agrarian livelihoods and knowledge systems, as well as on the natural environment, are assessed. Movements toward organic agriculture, fair trade, and slow food are also analysed.

An anthropological approach to the study of food draws upon and challenges the perspectives of other disciplines, whether agronomy or nutritional science, economics or law, history or literature. Dependent upon individual interests and experiences, graduates of the programme may pursue research degrees in any number of academic disciplines, or find employment in food-related government ministries, international organizations, development agencies, or non-governmental associations, as well as in the fields of public health, education, and media, or in the catering industry.

Course teachers Johan Pottier, Harry G. West, and Jakob Klein were awarded the 2009 Excellence in Instruction Award by the Agriculture, Food, and Human Values Society.


Contents

The programme consists of four units in total: three units of examined courses and a one unit dissertation of 10,000 words.

Core Courses:

  • The Anthropology of Food - 15PANC013 (1.0 unit).
  • Dissertation in Anthropology and Sociology - 15PANC999 (1.0 unit). This is a 10,000 word dissertation on a topic agreed with the Programme Convenor of the MA Anthropology of Food and the candidate’s supervisor.
  • Additionally all MA Anthropology students 'audit' the course Ethnographic Research Methods during term 1 - this will not count towards your 4 units.

Foundation Course:

  • Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology - 15PANC008 (1.0 unit). This is compulsory only for students without a previous anthropology degree.

Option Courses:

  • The remaining unit(s) of your programme, either 1 unit of option courses (if taking Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology) or 2 units (if exempted from Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology), may then be selected from the Option Courses list below.
  • Your 1 or 2 total units may be made up of any combination of 0.5 or 1 unit option courses.
  • However, courses without a "15PANxxxx" course code are taught outside of the Anthropology Department. No more than 1 unit in total of these courses may be selected.
  • Alternatively, one language course may be taken from the Faculty of Languages and Cultures.

Programme Detail

Core Courses

  • The Anthropology of Food - 15PANC013 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Dissertation in Anthropology and Sociology - 15PANC999 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Foundation Course

  • Theoretical Approaches to Social Anthropology - 15PANC008 (1 Unit) - Full Year

Option Courses

Anthropology Option Courses

  • Directed Practical Study in the Anthropology of Food - 15PANH045 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Culture and Society of China - 15PANC089 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of Japan - 15PANC086 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of South Asia - 15PANC087 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of South East Asia - 15PANC088 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of the Near & Middle East - 15PANC097 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of East Africa - 15PANC084 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Culture and Society of West Africa - 15PANC083 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Perspectives On Development - 15PANH033 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Therapy and Culture - 15PANH027 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • African and Asian Diasporas in the Modern World - 15PANH010 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • African and Asian Cultures in Britain - 15PANH009 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Issues in the Anthropology of Film - 15PANH022 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Comparative Media Theory - 15PANH028 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Anthropology of travel and tourism A - 15PANH051 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Anthropology of travel and tourism B - 15PANH052 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Anthropology of Urban Space, Place and Architecture - 15PANH029 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Media Production Skills - 15PANH050 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Comparative Study of Islam: Anthropological Perspectives A (Masters) - 15PANH047 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Comparative Study of Islam: Anthropological Perspectives B (Masters) - 15PANH048 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012 - Must be taken with the first term course - 15PANH047 Comparative Study of Islam: Anthropological Perspectives A (Masters)

Courses taught outside the Department of Anthropology

These courses are available subject to approval by the course convenor. Students may take no more than one full unit of courses taught outside of the Department of Anthropology. A language unit taught in the Faculty of Lanuages & Cultures may be taken.

  • Political economy of development - 15PDSC002 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Globalisation and development - 15PDSC005 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Agrarian change and development - 15PDSH026 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • The working poor and development - 15PDSH030 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Civil society, social movements and the development process - 15PDSH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Gender in the Middle East - 15PGNH001 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1
  • Gendering migration & diasporas - 15PGNH002 (0.5 Unit) - Term 2
  • Famine and food security - 15PDSH022 (0.5 Unit) - Term 1 - Not Running 2011/2012
  • Intellectual property rights and development - 15PLAC113 (1 Unit) - Full Year
  • Jainism: History, Doctrine and the Contemporary World - 15PSRC024 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Not Running 2011/2012
  • Non-Violence in Jain Scriptures, Philosophy and Law - 15PSRC062 (1 Unit) - Full Year - Please note that from September 2011 this course unit will be named "Non-Violence in Jain Scriptures, Philosophy and Law"

You are normally required to take an English Proficiency Test if you come from a non-English speaking country.

Most European Universities recognise the IELTS test.

More information

Requirements

Minimum Entry Requirements: Minimum upper second class BA degree (or equivalent) in the humanities or social or natural sciences, or significant experience in a relevant food- and/or agriculture-related career.

English language requirements

In order to ensure that SOAS students have a sufficient standard of English to study effectively, we require overseas students to submit evidence, during the application process, of their current level of proficiency.

Score for Unconditional Entry

  • IELTS: Overall 7+ with at least 7 in all sub scores
  • TOEFL: iBT105+ with at least 25 in all sub scores
  • Pearson Test of English - Academic: Score of 75 or above with at least 70 in all sub scores

Additional Requirements

Minimal degree required: Bachelor's degree
Minimal amount of work experience Not specified

Language Proficiency

IELTS Band: 7.0
TOEFL Internet-based: 105

Funding details

Scholarships and Bursaries

There are some scholarships and bursaries available for postgraduate students. These are very competitive and early application is advised.

Loans

Another way to fund your studies is through educational loans. Some high street banks offer loans for education. The other option is a career development loan. Before taking out a loan ensure that you understand what the repayments will be and that you will be able to afford them.

Professional and Career Development Loans

A Professional and Career Development Loan is a bank loan for UK students designed to help you pay for your course. Repayments start one month after you complete your course. You can borrow between £300 and £8,000. The bank will approve your loan according to your credit rating.

US Federal Loans

Eligible US students can apply for Stafford Federal Loans, Federal Plus and private loans to cover their tuition and maintenance costs.

The Registry Fees and Scholarship section can also certify student registration for other loans, such as Canadian educational loans.

Please contact:

  • Registry Fees Section if you have any queries on educational loans or fees for degree courses.
  • Noel Connaughton for fees information for occasional courses, certificates and diplomas.
  • CEFIMS for fees information for distance learning courses.

Other Sources of Funding

Useful funding information can also be found at:

  • Hotcourses Scholarship Search
  • HERO funding information for research students

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