Ethnobotany and traditional food in Mexico 2600-OG-EN-ETF

The main aim of the topic is to provide students a general panorama about the ethnobotany in Mexico from pre-Columbian times to the modern times. Such panorama conforms an introductory context for discussing how plants form part of Mexicans system beliefs and conceptions of the world, and how they make use and manage plants for reproducing their social and cultural life as well as the importance of Mexican cuisine as a heritage of humanity including an overview of the relevance of foods in Mexican culture their meaning during National Festivals

Total student workload

Contact hours with teacher: - participation in lectures- 15 hrs - consultations - 5 hrs Self-study hours: - preparation for lectures - 5 hrs - reading literature- 5 hrs - preparation for final presentastion - 20 hrs Altogether: 50 hrs (2 ECTS)

Learning outcomes - knowledge

Student W1: explains ethnobotany as a research field that looks for documenting and understanding what people know about plants and how they form part of their beliefs. W2: indicates Mexican cultures in domesticating plants and starting agricultural processes W3: explains the main contribution that Mexican cuisine has in the World as a heritage of humanity

Learning outcomes - skills

Student U1: is able to use source information in English, performs analysis, synthesis, summarizes and makes a critical assessment about ethnobotany and food history in Mexico U2: is able to use a foreign language to communicate at a basic level U3: has ability to discuss information from various sources to analyze and identify the main characteristics, importance and differences between Mexican food customs and their country.

Learning outcomes - social competencies

Student K1: understands the need to improve the knowledge of World´s food diversity with the use of scientific books and journals in order to improve his professional skills K2: is aware of the importance of increasing his knowledge concerning culture and traditions in other country K3: is willing to cooperate and work in a team and follow the defined rules

Teaching methods

Expository teaching methods: presentation, video / computer, pointer, banners image Stating teaching methods: - informative lecture Searching teaching methods: - discussion - presentation

Expository teaching methods

- discussion

Exploratory teaching methods

- laboratory

Type of course

elective course

Prerequisites

NONE

Course coordinators

Stefany Cardenas Perez

Assessment criteria

Assessment methods:
Short oral presentation prepared in 5-people groups (5 slides in 5 minutes - each person one slide to present)
Assessment criteria:
content - 3 points (W1-W3, K2, K3, U1, U4)
work in the group - 1 point (K4, U4)
presentation – 1 point (U2, U3, K1)

fail- 2 pts (40%)
satisfactory- 3 pts (60%)
satisfactory plus- 3.5 pts (70%)
good - 4 pts (80%)
good plus- 4.5 pts (90 %)

Practical placement

1. Interactions of People and Plants in Mesoamerica
2. Ethnobotany and Ethnohistorical in Mexico
3. Pre-Columbian Food System in West Mesoamerica
4. Maya Food System in the Lowlands of Northern Yucatan
5. Traditional Markets in Mesoamerica
6. Mexican Cuisine Declared Intangible Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO
7. The main dishes during Mexico´s National Festivals
8. Slideshow

Additional information

Additional information (registration calendar, class conductors, localization and schedules of classes), might be available in the USOSweb system:

Description of 2600-OG-EN-ETF in USOSweb