This semester I get to teach a Research Writing class at AUC. This is a class that all AUC students have to take (just like Scientific Thinking, the bulk of my teaching responsibilities here) but unlike that class I have complete autonomy on the content of this course. It needs to be thematic and my theme this semester ???  Hah, I’m sure you’d have guessed it from its appearance on this rather than my regular blog – FOOD. As I told my students – and I quote what I prepared for them in the introductory blurb to this course:

“…one of the fundamental necessities of life, food is something that concerns all of us, at many levels from the individual to the global. We pattern our daily routines around the taking of meals, and make choices about what we eat or don’t eat according to our personal beliefs and ethics. Entire societal structures are based on our access to food, and in history, wars have been fought, and grand voyages undertaken on account of specific food items. Nobody can claim a complete disinterest in the topic or level the complaint that the topic favors students of certain majors over the others.”

My word-play loving self has named the course, “Food for Thought & Feasts with Words,” the feasts at issue being the verbal varieties I have exhorted my students to offer me throughout the semester. I did create a website for the course, but until the course is over, intend to restrict access to the students and few of the teachers. But I couldn’t resist mentioning the course here, since it is so theme appropriate.