Students in Dr. Janelle Pham’s Sociology course, “Space, Class and Community,” explored the complex relationship that intertwines gentrification, race, class and food by stepping outside the classroom and going to restaurants in Atlanta.

The class assignment required students to visit a restaurant they had never been to and one that is local to Atlanta. With Oglethorpe located at the heart of Atlanta, students had diverse restaurant options, from a Mexican American fusion pizza restaurant to a sit-down Indian restaurant. Afterward, they returned with a report in the form of a Yelp review. Then, they explained their choices, allowing for thought-provoking discussions with their peers.

Nathania Adhisty ’25, a politics major, believes this project was emblematic of her courses here at Oglethorpe. She remarks, “Stepping outside of the classroom made the concepts feel way more tangible. Instead of just reading about social structures, I got to observe them in action, which made the learning experience feel more real and engaging.”

Dr. Pham believes this assignment was insightful in having her students contextualize their lessons to the places around their community. “It’s my hope that students will piece together this experience with all of the other things we’ve covered in class so far and consider how space and place shape our lived experiences every single day, and in ways we often take for granted,” said Dr. Pham.

When engaging in class after their excursions, students considered certain factors such as accessibility, menu options, and targeted demographics to give knowledgeable ratings. Prior to class, they listened to the podcast “Can a Restaurant Be for Everyone?” and applied its lessons to restaurants in the local community.

Sociology major Londyn Marshall ’26 went to Moon Indian Cuisine and stated, “It challenged my beliefs to become more involved in how places are built and facilitated towards becoming more inclusive.” This experience highlighted the need for inclusivity and increased awareness among students. Marshall continues, “It has also made me aware of places that are not inclusive to other people. Once you put yourself in that position, you begin to see things in a different light.”

Mekela Iorio ’25, a psychology major enrolled in the course, went to the restaurant Big Sisters: Kitchen and K BBQ. She said, “Generally, people decide whether a space is for us intuitively, but contextualizing our restaurant experience with our coursework pulled me from that individualistic perspective and helped me realize that minute details like the design or the people that make up a restaurant can come off as exclusionary to others.”

By applying a critical lens to the restaurants around them, Dr. Pham is giving her students the opportunity to take their findings in the classroom and use them to engage in problem-solving initiatives in their lives and the world.