Olivier de Maret - Ph.D.
Credentials
Ph.D. in History, Free University Brussels (V.U.B.)
M.A. in Modern History, King’s College London
B.A. in International Affairs and History, Vesalius College, Free University Brussels (V.U.B.)
Teaching since 2012
Background
Olivier de Maret is a social and cultural historian of contemporary Europe specialized in food studies. His main areas of research cover Italian foodways and alternative food systems. More generally, he is interested in the relations between food and identity, migration, and consumption. He recently published his doctorate entitled Of Migrants and Meanings. Italians and Their Food Businesses in Brussels, 1876-1914 (Brussels: P.I.E. Peter Lang, 2016). Besides publications on Italian food and migration, he has researched the relation between the concepts of taste and home.
Teaching Philosophy
Olivier approaches teaching from a historical perspective that draws on various theories, primary-source analyses, in-class discussions, and hands-on practical experiences. His overall aim is to bring students to realize how the past puts the present in perspective and to provide them with the tools to address historical and contemporary debates with a critical mindset.