Simon Fraser University
Engaging the World

Course Outlines

Fall 2026 - GEOG 385 D100

Food and the City (4)

Class Number: 1335

Delivery Method: In Person

Overview

  • Course Times + Location:

    Sep 9 – Dec 7, 2026: Thu, 2:30–4:20 p.m.
    VANCOUVER

  • Prerequisites:

    At least 45 units, including GEOG 100 or REM 100.

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An exploration of how food is related to cities, giving particular attention to the culture and politics of food production, distribution, and consumption.

COURSE DETAILS:

This course examines the city as a site where food systems become visible and contested: from urban markets and street vendors to supermarkets, food deserts, and community gardens. Students will investigate how race, class, and immigration shape access to food and culinary culture; how urban planning and zoning influence what and where we eat; and how food movements, from farmers' markets to food justice activism, reshape city life. Drawing on case studies from cities across Canada and beyond, the course asks how food functions simultaneously as sustenance, commodity, cultural expression, and political battleground, and what this reveals about urban inequality, identity, and change.

This course includes one field trip (Vancouver urban food systems tour) to take place in late October. Your mandatory supplementary fee covers transportation (SkyTrain) costs for the trip. Be aware that during the tour there may be periods of walking around local city streets. Appropriate clothing and footwear must be worn. Further details regarding safety protocols will be discussed prior to the field trip. Students must always remain compliant with all student responsibilities, regulations, and policies as outlined in the current Academic Calendar, as well as relevant regulations and policies as outlined in the SFU Policy Gazette.

Grading

  • Attendance and Participation 20%
  • Assignment 20%
  • Food Systems Tour Reflection 20%
  • Final Report 40%

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

There are no required textbooks for this course, which draws on articles and book chapters, films and other texts. A complete list of readings will be provided in the full syllabus and through Canvas.


Registrar Notes:

ACADEMIC INTEGRITY: YOUR WORK, YOUR SUCCESS

At SFU, you are expected to act honestly and responsibly in all your academic work. Cheating, plagiarism, or any other form of academic dishonesty harms your own learning, undermines the efforts of your classmates who pursue their studies honestly, and goes against the core values of the university.

To learn more about the academic disciplinary process and relevant academic supports, visit: 


RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATION

Students with a faith background who may need accommodations during the term are encouraged to assess their needs as soon as possible and review the Multifaith religious accommodations website. The page outlines ways they begin working toward an accommodation and ensure solutions can be reached in a timely fashion.