RALL3080: Chocolate and Power

Behind every chocolate bar lies a story of history, culture, and power. This course explores how cacao has shaped communities worldwide, from its sacred role in ancient Mesoamerica to its place in today’s global economy.

In this course, you will:

• Learn the history of cacao cultivation and its cultural significance across centuries.

• Examine how chocolate connects to global issues of human rights, labor practices, and social justice.

• Analyze the economic, environmental, and cultural implications of chocolate consumption.

• Critically discuss strategies for creating a more sustainable and just chocolate industry.

By the end, students will develop informed perspectives on the role chocolate plays in shaping societies—and in shaping their own choices as consumers.

Do you like chocolate? Do you know where it comes from—or who profits from it? This course provides an in-depth look at chocolate as both a cultural symbol and a global commodity, asking students to consider issues of power, inequality, and justice through the lens of one of the world’s most beloved foods.

Topics include:

• Origins of cacao and its role as a sacred food for the Olmec, Maya, and Aztec peoples.

• Global spread of chocolate and its economic and cultural significance since the 16th century.

• Modern production and trade, including exploitation of labor in poorer countries to meet the demands of wealthier nations.

• Critical issues of power, race, gender, and class as they intersect with chocolate’s history and consumption.

• Fair Trade and sustainability movements aimed at creating change for the future.

Through readings, media, discussions, and hands-on experiences, students will not only trace the story of chocolate from ancient rituals to modern markets, but also critically examine how consumer choices are tied to global justice.