TAKE HOME EXAM: SOC302 -Global Politics of Food and Eating

PART ONE

Commensality

Commensality “means eating with other people” (Fischler, 2011). It entailed a ritualistic and sacrificial process where it provided insight on the variations seen in the attitudes given towards food. I believe it is a useful concept in addressing the aspect of food and matters of society while eating together. Commensality is a major issue and its cultural variability indicates of the possible relationships between western and modern attitudes towards food. However, cultural attachment helps in the understanding of the the prevalence of diet-based diseases between these two societies. Health problems in such societies affect the ability of individuals to work on their health as well as their individual bodies. However, commensality as described by Fischler focuses on eating and food as being unaffected by the ability of individuals to come and eat together or engage in eating within a gathering. The history provided reflects on the evolution of food production towards manufacturing in large quantity and branding of products leading to massive advertising to encourage mass consumption.

Consumers Republic

The Consumers Republic focuses on the connection between citizenship and consumerism, where freedom involves the consumption of the latest modern homes, fashion, and appliances (Cohen, 2004). It is also a useful concept as it helps in the understanding of the origin of mass consumption witnessed in early societies from the 1930s to the present. Consumers republic identifies the need to build new homes, buy new vehicle and focus on the process of creating a new economy that is based in spending among individuals in the society. However, Cohen attempts to understand the moral aspect of the Consumers Republic through looking at the America’s political and economic fortunes overtime. It is an aspect of the society that helps in understanding the need for food.

Food Insecurity

Food insecurity involves the lack of access to food, limitation towards safe, sufficient and nutritious food as well as reliable supply. According to Riches (2002), absolute deprivation can result in food insecurity when there is the presence of food banks. It is a useful concept in understanding how charitable assistance works and addressing the basic food needs among people. Food banks have been established to help in the problem of food insecurity. Among the first world societies, food banks are considered to be among the fastest-growing charitable industries. Food insecurity identifies that food inequality and poverty results to dire situations among people hence the need for surplus food being donated to food banks. Riches, (2002) has identified the commodification of food backs within the Canadian society that impact the objectivity of such institutions. Distribution of such food and social assistance accorded to persons in need help in solving societal food insecurity. However, state obligations are negatively impacted when commodification of social assistance occurs as it is unable to fulfil its mandate of fulfilling the human right to food.

Culinary Modernism

Culinary modernism involves processed food, novel, industrial, preservable, and considered affordable among the elite. Laudan (2001) identifies that the concept explains the availability of modern food leading to populations becoming stronger and living longer. It is a useful concept from my opinion as it describes the idea of people eating in the modern era. It is sad that modern food is identified as a disaster since its is conveyed in newspapers and media because of the diseases associated with dieting on fast food and highly processed food. However, culinary modernism should focus on the importance of fast and processed food that are mass produced and consumed among nationals across the globe. Industrialized food has been scorned by various critics but focus should e placed on the homogeneity and fast production among other positive aspects of modern food. Natural food was considered even in the traditional. Preserved and processed food are often well kept and easier to digest despite being delicious as illustrated by Laudan (2001).

Gastronationalism

DeSoucey, (2010) describes gastronationalism as the application of food production, consumption as well as distribution in sustaining and demarcating the emotional power of the sentiments among nationalists in the production and marketing of food. It is a useful concept that explains the forces within the marketing and production of food in society. The aspect of contemporary food is identified within the article and produces some of the concerns involved in the contemporary food politics. DeSoucey focuses on the macro-level dimensions of market protections that is witnessed among nations that seek to protect their traditional foods from external influence. Such discussion is essential in the understanding of such protectionism. Food politics within the society is viewed as an identity that is accepted by individuals and entails culture with authenticity that is associated with sociological interests. The symbolic boundary associated with food politics within gastronationalism helps in providing insight on the complexities of globalization. Therefore, food has become a symbol of cultural identities among protectionists and European integrationists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reference List

Cohen, L., 2004. A Consumers’ Republic: The politics of mass consumption in postwar America. Journal of Consumer Research, 31(1), pp.236-239.

DeSoucey, M., 2010. Gastronationalism: Food traditions and authenticity politics in the European Union. American Sociological Review, 75(3), pp.432-455.

Fischler, C., 2011. Commensality, society and culture. Social Science Information, 50(3-4), pp.528-548.

Laudan, R., 2001. A plea for culinary modernism: why we should love new, fast, processed food. Gastronomica, 1(1), pp.36-44.

Riches, G., 2002. Food banks and food security: welfare reform, human rights, and social policy. Lessons from Canada? Social Policy & Administration, 36(6), pp.648-663.

 

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