Anthropology of Food and Immigration

Exploring the intersection of food and immigration in Paris, this course examines how culinary practices help immigrants preserve their identities and build communities while addressing broader themes of culture, climate change, and social dynamics through the lens of anthropology.

• Program Dates: July 21-Aug 8, 2025

• Program Location: Rice Global Paris Center | Paris, France

• Who Can Apply? Any Rice Undergraduate. This course invites anyone with a passion for food and culture. No prerequisite to take this course. Note for graduating seniors! You are welcome to apply to this course; however, Rice summer aid (i.e. Rice financial aid) is not available to seniors who have obtained enough credits to graduate by the end of the spring semester. Additionally, you will have to postpone your graduation date to the summer in order to participate. You are, however, still eligible to apply for both RICE GLOBAL tuition and travel awards included in the course application.

• Tuition Cost: $1,800 per credit hour (this course is 3 credit hours).

• What's Covered: The program will provide housing for all three weeks, metro card for all three weeks, course-set excursions/tickets, three group meals, and travel insurance.

• Financial Aid: If you already receive financial aid, you are eligible to receive financial aid for up to 9 credit hours a summer for two summer, at 50% of the tuition rate, i.e. if a Paris course is three credit hours and $5,400 total tuition, eligible students would pay $2,700.

  After submitting your application, our office is in direct contact with the financial aid office who will let us know if you are financial aid eligible for the summer. If you are accepted, you will immediately know how much financial aid you have available in your acceptance letter. Rice summer aid (i.e. Rice financial aid) is not available to seniors who have obtained enough credits to graduate by the end of the spring semester.

  To find out if you are eligible before acceptance to a course, contact: fina@rice.edu. To learn more about summer financial aid requirements, please visit: https://financialaid.rice.edu/summer-students.

• Additional Assistance from Rice Global: Students can also apply to receive additional assistance (for both tuition and travel) from Rice Global. Application for assistance is included in the course application.

• Credit Hours: 3 credit hours

• Course Instructor: Dr. Huatse Gyal (ANTH)

• Course Description: Taking Paris as one of the largest concentrations of immigrants in Europe, the course "Anthropology of Food and Immigration" explores how food plays a crucial role in helping immigrants maintain their identities, build communities, and lead dignified lives as they adapt to new environments in difficult situations. This course introduces students to foundational theoretical traditions that have influenced the Anthropology of Food by addressing questions such as: Why is food a fundamental part of culture? How can food shed light on climate change, political divisions, economic disparities, and social classes? By studying food as not only a basic human necessity but also an economic and political system and a symbolic representation, this course covers various topics including food and identity, food and class, food and migration, gender and race, food and belonging, as well as the emergence of immigrant and Indigenous foodways.

• Who is this class for? This course invites anyone with a passion for food and culture. No prerequisite to take this course.

• Course Zoom Information Session: Take a look at the Information Session recording to learn more.

• Syllabus: Take a look at the draft syllabus - subject to change.

• Does this course fulfill a distribution and/or Analyzing diversity requirement? No

For questions, please visit our student program page or email pariscenter@rice.edu. The application deadline is January 31, 2025.