Am I a Buddhist Because I am Vegetarian?
Teaching at the Intersections of Religion and Food
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/bsor.33093Keywords:
Buddhism, Food, Pedagogy, Classification, IdentityAbstract
Food can be a wonderful way to approach the theoretical realm in studying and teaching on the concept of religion. In this article, I share what I find to be a successful approach for teaching social theory via my own research on food and religion. This approach is as much about how the categories of food and religion “intersect,” as it is about comparing how they are socially constructed and how social relations are constantly being constituted in these processes. I provide two short examples of how I go about this task followed by some final remarks on what helps structure my courses in this manner. This is but a brief glimpse into the trajectory I aim for in my teaching methodology- one that helps students see the relevance of social theory in their everyday lives.
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