Food, like language, can be used to define who is, or more importantly, who is not, part of a group, whether cultural, religious, or political.
NYU Professor of Food Studies Fabio Parasecoli examines here the manifold ways that food is employed as a symbol, wielded for its power to evoke nostalgia, to seduce or to bludgeon those who do not appear to be fully committed to an ideal of what it means to be part of a particular identity.
With examples from countries as far-flung as the United States, Brazil, Italy, Poland, India, and China, Parasecoli outlines various tactics which are employed. Some are clearly pernicious, others more ambiguous in intent but still troubling.
Parasecoli thoughtfully explores the boundaries between preserving heritage and excluding undesirables who fail to perceive its value.
Paperback.
