Food represents far more than nourishment—it embodies cultural identity, historical continuity, and social innovation. Across the world, traditional foods and gastronomic practices serve as both cultural markers and engines for local development. The course From Food Heritage to Sustainable Rural Development explores how communities define, preserve, and transform their food heritage within the contemporary challenges of globalization, sustainability, and socio-economic change.
Through the lens of food anthropology, the course invites students to critically examine how food practices shape identities and landscapes, supporting inclusive and sustainable rural futures. Combining theoretical perspectives with applied methodologies such as food scouting, supply chain analysis, and heritage storytelling, this module connects cultural analysis with real-world scenarios. Students will engage with examples ranging from UNESCO-recognized gastronomic traditions to local initiatives that valorize neglected agri-food systems.
By the end of the course, students will have acquired the analytical skills to document, interpret, and design strategies for the protection and promotion of food heritage, contributing to the achievement of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals on responsible consumption, cultural preservation, and rural resilience.
- Profesor: MICHELE FILIPPO FONTEFRANCESCO