Good Food
Using a ‘ricebreaker’ to start a conversation about cultural identity
Dr. Amber Spry is an Assistant Professor of African American Studies and Politics at Brandeis University.
By Evan Kleiman • • 1 min readDr. Amber Spry is an Assistant Professor of African American Studies and Politics at Brandeis University. Each semester she begins her “Identity Politics in the United States” class with a sort of icebreaker asking, “How does your family cook rice?” Answers vary widely, with the lesson being that background can shape perspectives, causing students to think about the vast range of relationships to experience. Dr. Spry views identity politics as a lens through which social categories affect who gets what, when, and how.
The full episode
1 of 6
Rice: how we grow, cook, and eat it- 0:00Using a ‘ricebreaker’ to start a conversation about cultural identityYou’re reading this
- 9:49How did rice find its way to the American South?
- 20:14Growing Japanese rice in California
- 31:14Stirring up controversy in a paella pan
- 40:41The rice cooker: liberating generations of chefs
- 49:15‘In the Weeds’: golden, crispy domes bring solace
The full episode
1 of 6Rice: how we grow, cook, and eat it- 0:00Using a ‘ricebreaker’ to start a conversation about cultural identityYou’re reading this
- 9:49How did rice find its way to the American South?
- 20:14Growing Japanese rice in California
- 31:14Stirring up controversy in a paella pan
- 40:41The rice cooker: liberating generations of chefs
- 49:15‘In the Weeds’: golden, crispy domes bring solace