History professor wins top teaching award for ‘Food and Power’ course
Associate Professor of History Xaq Frohlich has been recognized by the Association for the Study of Food and Society (ASFS) with the 2026 Individual Award for Food Studies Pedagogy for his course on food and power.
The ASFS is the nation’s leading food studies society and recognized worldwide for its promotion of research and teaching on food and society. The association specifically commended Frohlich’s course for its well-designed syllabus and creative use of AI, calling it a “clear standout” for the award.
“Receiving this award is a real honor,” Frohlich said. “What makes it most meaningful is that it recognizes the kind of teaching I care most about: teaching that is interdisciplinary, grounded in everyday lived experience and pushes students to reexamine their own food cultures in a broader global and historical perspective. It has been a joy to teach this course and to learn so much from my students along the way.”
“Food and Power” is Frohlich’s signature course, which he’s taught for more than a decade and adapted across multiple countries, including the United States, South Korea, Austria and China.
Students explore a variety of political topics related to food and agriculture, identifying the ways in which history, power structures, technology, cultural movements and scientific practices shape the way we think about and engage with food, diet and eating today.
The class also includes field trips to food production sites, research labs and conversations with guest speakers.
Frohlich said students look beyond familiar debates about sustainability, nutrition, diet culture and more to understand the relationship between food and power.
“At Auburn, ‘Food and Power’ has become a way to connect students’ everyday experiences with food to much larger questions,” Frohlich said. “I am especially proud that the course combines historical and critical analysis with experiential learning and assignments that ask students to reflect on food in their own lives.”
Learn more about courses in the Department of History.
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