Whereas everyone eats, food is never simply about nutrition and is instead mediated through cultural values that convey complex social messages about elements including gender, sexuality, race, class, and education. At the same time, food cannot be understood without attending to the geographically embedded relationships between people and food, including uneven availability, infrastructures of provision, and access to information.

This discussion emerges from a collaboration between GSWS and Urban Studies to construct a co-taught class that will provide students the opportunity to see how two interdisciplinary spheres can comprehend and address a vexing problem— the uneven access and experience of food by inhabitants and communities in the City of Pittsburgh. We argue that food studies are strongest when approached from a perspective of radical interdisciplinarity where an interdisciplinary praxis (theory and action) employing different tools and concepts can be evaluated and implemented for the benefit of active student learners. Session attendees are encouraged to read the pre-circulated chapter that will be made available two weeks ahead of the presentation at the Humanities Center's shared folder.