Global Programs

Global Food Cultures: Hong Kong

Location: Hong Kong, China
Tentative Dates: December 31, 2012 -January 13, 2013

An interdisciplinary and intercultural examination of human communication through food. This specific program focuses on Hong Kong's unique and diverse food cultures within the larger contexts of Greater China and the Chinese diaspora around the world. It explores the social, economic, political, and cultural ramifications of the technology, production, acquisition, preservation, packaging, distribution, promotion, representation, selling, presentation, and consumption of food, as well as the disposal of food-related wastes.  Students will have a unique opportunity to explore various local, regional, and transnational cuisines and food rituals in Hong Kong as the manifestation of changing social norms, economic realities, and cultural beliefs in an increasingly global and multicultural city.

Specific interests include: the defining communicative characteristics of Chinese cuisine and diverse regional food cultures, foodways in Hong Kong as expressions of international and intercultural communication, culinary tourism, local and globally hybridized dim sum cultures, food production and the rise of health consciousness and environmentalism in Hong Kong, the social role of  homeland food ways in the Chinese diaspora around the world, the globalization and cross-cultural diffusion of Chinese food, the globalization and hybridization of local food cultures, the localization and regionalization of imported cuisines in Hong Kong, Hong Kong cafe cultures, British high tea and the colonial legacy in Hong Kong, media representation of Chinese food, food writing, food waste and its cultural significance in Chinese society, etc.

Guided field trips and culinary explorations in Hong Kong will supplement supervised readings, classroom instructions, and research projects. In addition to scheduled group activities, students will have ample personal free time to explore Hong Kong on their own (and to conduct original field research for their research projects).

Graduate students are encouraged to apply for this program. Qualified upper-level undergraduates with 96+ earned credits and related course work may be considered and will require approval from the faculty director as well as their program'sacademic advisor.

Courses

This course is cross-listed in two departments. Students have the option of registering for this course either through the Program in Food Studies or with the Department  of Media, Culture, and Communication. Students from across the university and among diverse academic and professional backgrounds enrolled in this program last year.

FOOD-GE 2251.095 - Global Food Cultures (4 Points)
Offered through the Program in Food Studies.

MCC-GE 2351.095 - Global Food Cultures (4 Points)
Offered through the Department of Media, Culture and Communication.

2012 abridged course syllabus and preliminary schedule: FOOD-GE 2251.095/ MCC-GE 2351.095

Faculty

For further information (e.g., academic requirements, sample syllabus, trip schedule), interested students are strongly encouraged to promptly contact Jillian Sullivan, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, Media, Culture, & Communication, Tel: (212) 992-9493; Fax: (212) 995-4121; jillian.sullivan@nyu.edu.

Accommodations

Students stay in a safe and comfortable hotel in downtown Kowloon in Hong Kong.

Your double-occupancy accommodation is included in your Housing and Activity Fees, which also covers seven meals, a Chinese dim sum cooking class, and a number of guided academic and cultural field trips in Hong Kong.

Students may check-in at 3 PM on January 2 and check-out at noon on January 15.

Costs

2012 Graduate Tuition: $1314 per point plus registration and services fees

If an undergraduate participant enrolls in an undergraduate course number, his/her tuition will reflect the current undergraduate cost per point. 2012 Undergraduate Tuition: $1159 per point plus registration and services fees.

This course counts toward your Spring 2013 course load and tuition.

2012 Housing Fees: $675

2012 Activity Fees: $400

The final Housing and Activity Fee payment is due to the Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs by November 15, 2012.  Tuition for the course is separate and will be due based on the Bursar's Payment Schedule for Spring 2013. (click here for Bursar's Payment Deadline Dates)

International Airfare is not included.  Students must purchase their own tickets.
Recommended Airfare Search Engines: Vayama, Kayak, Bing

Flight, Travel and Visa Information

Flight: Students book their own travel to coincide with program dates. A set of recommended flight itineraries will be provided early in the orientation process. Students should expect to arrive on Monday, December 31st  with a departure on Sunday, January 13th (local Hong Kong date/time). 

Passport: All program participants are required to have a valid passport, which must have a validation date of  July 15, 2013 or later. Students who need to apply for a visitor visa or entry permit to enter Hong Kong must have their valid passport in time to acquire their visa before the trip.

Visa: No visa is required of holders of the passport from the U.S. and the British Commonwealth (e.g., Canada, the UK) to enter Hong Kong for this program. To confirm visa requirements and application instructions, visit the "Hong Kong Visitor Visa" link below. All other passport holders should check with their respective visa requirements.

Visiting elsewhere in China: Students who plan to visit anywhere in Mainland China after this program in Hong Kong-SAR must have a valid tourist visa to enter China.  For visa requirements and application instructions, visit the People's Republic of China visa link. 

Helpful links: US State Department, Hong Kong Visitor Visa, Center for Disease Control, Lonely Planet Guide, Discover Hong Kong, China Visitor Visa

Weather

Temperatures during January in Hong Kong range from an average low of 47ºF to an average high of 64ºF. The weather is typically cool with low humidity, and occasional chilly spells make layering important.

Helpful links: BBC Weather, Hong Kong Observatory

For More Information

Academic Content: Jillian Sullivan, Associate Director of Academic Affairs, Media, Culture, & Communication, The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 239 Greene Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10003 Tel: (212) 992-9493; Fax: (212) 995-4121; jillian.sullivan@nyu.edu

Program Administration: Office of Academic Initiatives and Global Programs, The Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, 82 Washington Square East, 5th Floor,New York, NY 10003-6680; (212) 992-9380; steinhardt.global@nyu.edu