Eating Traditional Food: Politics, Identity and Practices

Edited by Brigitte Sebastia

1st Edition | English Language | Published by Routledge | October 13, 2016

Dimensions: 6.14 x 0.56 x 9.21 inches | ISBN-10: 1138187003 | ISBN-13: 978-1138187009 | Print Length: 226 pages

This book explores the multifaceted nature of traditional foods and their significance in various cultural, social, and ideological contexts. It challenges common perceptions of traditionality as simply a matter of heritage or authenticity by delving into the political, cultural, social, and ideological underpinnings that shape these understandings.

Through case studies from diverse global regions, the book examines how traditional foods are valued, instrumentalized, and reinvented. It highlights the complexity behind the attribution of the term ‘traditional’ to food and argues that definitions provided by organizations like TRUEFOOD and EuroFIR do not fully capture this complexity.

Chapters in the volume analyze the processes involved in valorizing, instrumentalizing, and reinventing foods to be considered traditional. The book offers new insights into topics such as definition and regulation, nationalism and identity, and health and nutrition. It is a valuable resource for students and researchers in anthropology, sociology, politics, and cultural studies.

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