[Commlist] Call for Papers: ‘You are What you Eat’: On Food, Culture(s), and Identity

Call for Papers | ‘You are What you Eat’: On Food, Culture(s), and Identity



Issue 10| ‘You are What you Eat’: On Food, Culture(s), and Identity

Deadline for Abstracts: May 15th 2024
Deadline for Papers: September 30th 2024

Editors-in-chief: Rissa L. Miller,  Federico Bossone


Call for Papers | ‘You are What you Eat’: On Food, Culture(s), and Identity

Few sentences can express the significance of food for our being human 
as concisely and pointedly as ‘You are what you eat’. This saying is 
found in different languages and could be one of those transversal 
notions that has existed in some form throughout history. From French 
gourmand Brillat-Savarin to German philosopher Ludwig Feuerbach, belief 
in the entanglement of food habits and identity can be observed across 
time and cultures, in that food constitutes an indispensable aspect of 
human existence, serving not merely as sustenance but also as a mirror 
reflecting culture, history as well as individual and collective 
identities (Shapin 2014, 377). Culinary traditions, rituals, and 
practices have profoundly influenced how individuals dine, socialize, 
and forge connections with one another. As a potent medium for 
expressing cultural identity and safeguarding traditions, food embodies 
a compelling narrative about humans, encompassing countless social 
aspects that vary across regions, communities, and even individual 
households.

Food can also be a measure of prestige within a given social order: it 
can serve as a symbol of power within social hierarchies and status 
structures. Interestingly, the cultural interpretations of its symbolism 
are intricate and sometimes conflicting. Claude Lévi-Strauss (1966) 
delved into this complexity in his culinary triangle, suggesting that 
boiled food signifies refinement and sophistication compared to roasted 
food. However, the consolidation of gender roles reversed these 
associations, as boiled dishes are often linked to familial intimacy and 
traditionally prepared by women. At the same time, roasted fare is 
associated with public celebrations and a more masculine domain. Not 
only have these assumptions shaped gender roles within families, but 
they have also shaped the male-dominated world of fine cooking in terms 
of prestige and social status[1].

Looking at the brighter side, food acts as a unifying force, nurturing a 
feeling of camaraderie and inclusion among people. Regardless of 
cultural background, the act of cooking or partaking in a meal carries 
significant symbolism, deeply intertwined with rituals and ceremonies. 
Certain dishes are important in religious and cultural contexts and are 
crafted with utmost respect and attention. These culinary practices 
frequently serve as a means to pay homage to ancestors and deities 
alike, commemorate significant life events, and express profound 
convictions. Beyond nourishment, these traditional foods are vital in 
transmitting cultural heritage and strengthening familial bonds 
(Fieldhouse 2013).

Patterns of migration significantly shape and sometimes come to define 
culinary landscapes. Assimilation theories suggest that as individuals 
adapt to a new culture, there is a corresponding cultural exchange that 
occurs. This exchange becomes visible when mainstream societies include 
culinary practices originating from outside ethnic groups who have been 
excluded from access into the prevailing society – whether previously or 
currently (Boch, Jiménez, Roesler 2020 64-65). The culinary traditions 
brought by migrant communities have often been subject to alienation by 
the mainstream surrounding society, being perceived as unclean or too 
‘exotic’. This is the case for Chinese and Italian immigrants who 
settled in the U.S. starting in the mid-1800s. Up until the 1950s 
U.S.-American society perceived the “newcomers as barbaric” (Inness 
2006, 41) and as not integrated. Nowadays, many of those dishes that 
were introduced by those communities have become a staple of the 
mainstream culinary habits of U.S.-Americans. On the other hand, for 
migrant communities, traditional foods provide a tangible connection to 
ancestry, recounting historical migrations and cultural interactions. As 
ingredients, methods and tastes blend, fresh culinary customs develop, 
fostering lively and evolving food scenes. One example among many, 
Louisiana’s Creole cuisine history exemplifies this cultural fusion, 
drawing from French, Spanish, African, and Caribbean culinary legacies 
to create a uniquely multi-layered and symbolically loaded culinary 
tradition (Smith 2013, 423).

We look forward to receiving contributions addressing these or related 
questions. Topics include but are not limited to:

●  Culinary Traditions: Delving into the intricate tapestry of 
traditional food practices, rituals and customs within specific cultural 
contexts, as evidenced in literature and various cultural artifacts.

● Food and Identity: Investigating how food shapes both individual and 
collective identities, from the culinary memoirs of immigrant 
communities to its symbolic significance.

● Representations of Food in Media and Literature: Analyzing depictions 
of food across different forms of media – the arts, literature, film, 
television – and their influence on cultural perceptions and practices.

● Globalization and Food Cultures: Examining the ramifications of 
globalization on culinary traditions, including the dissemination of 
cuisines, culinary fusion, and the commercialization of food in today’s 
fast-paced world.

  ● Food and Power: Scrutinizing the complex dynamics of foodways, 
especially in relation to social inequalities and justice as portrayed 
through literature and cultural narratives. How do gender, race, and 
class impact culinary heritage? Who decides what is ‘palatable’?

● Food Rituals: Exploring the deep-rooted significance of food-related 
rituals, festivals, and ceremonies as reflections of cultural values and 
beliefs, as depicted in arts, literature and/or liturgy.

●  Food’s Role in Memory and Heritage: Investigating how food shapes 
personal and collective memory, nostalgia, and cultural heritage, as 
seen through literary reminiscences and historical narratives.

● Food and the Climate Crisis: examining the environmental footprint of 
food production and consumption practices and exploring cultural 
responses to sustainability challenges through literature and cultural 
representations.

● Food and Health: the intersections of food culture, nutrition, and 
public health policies, as portrayed in literary works and cultural 
discourses.



Submission and review process

Abstracts will be received and reviewed by the Diffractions editorial 
board who will decide on the pertinence of proposals for the upcoming 
issue. Authors of accepted abstracts will be invited to submit a full 
article. However, this does not imply that these papers will be 
automatically published. Rather, they will go through a peer-review 
process that will determine whether papers are publishable with minor or 
major changes, or if they do not fulfill the criteria for publication.

Please send abstracts of 150 to 250 words and 5-8 keywords as well as a 
short biography (100 words) by MAY 15th, 2024, 
(toinfo.diffractions /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(info.diffractions /at/ gmail.com)>with 
the subject “Diffractions 10”, followed by your last name.

The full papers should be submitted by SEPTEMBER 30th, 2024, through the 
journal’s 
platform:https://revistas.ucp.pt/index.php/diffractions/about/submissions 
<https://revistas.ucp.pt/index.php/diffractions/about/submissions>.

Every issue of Diffractions has a thematic focus but also contains a 
special section for non-thematic articles. If you are interested in 
submitting an article that is not related to the topic of this 
particular issue, please consult  general guidelines available at the 
Diffractions website 
athttps://revistas.ucp.pt/index.php/diffractions/about/submissions 
<https://revistas.ucp.pt/index.php/diffractions/about/submissions>. The 
submission and review process for non-thematic articles is the same as 
for the general thematic issue. All research areas of the humanities are 
welcome.

There are no Article Processing Charges associated with the submission 
process. We do not request any payment from the authors.

[1] A survey by the US Bureau of Labor Statistics has shown that 81.5% 
of head-cooks and chefs in the US were male in 2008. As of 2023, the 
percentage of women employed as head-cooks or chefs increased by only 
4,8% (23,3%). (https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm 
<https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm>and Carolan 2012, 298).



Bibliography

Boch, Anna, Jiménez, Tomás, and Roesler, Katharina. 2021. “Mainstream 
Flavor: Ethnic Cuisine and Assimilation in the United States.” Social 
Currents, 8 (1), 64-85.

Carolan, Michael. 2012. The Sociology of Food and Agriculture. Florence: 
Taylor & Francis Group.

Fieldhouse, Paul. 2013. Food and Nutrition: Customs and culture. 
Dordrecht: Springer.

Inness, Sherrie A. 2006. Secret Ingredients. Race, Gender, and Class at 
the Dinner Table. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.

Lévi-Strauss, Claude. 2008. “The Culinary Triangle.” In Carole Counihan 
and Penny Van Esterik (ed.). Food and Culture: A Reader. (2nd ed.). New 
York: Routledge, 36–43. Originally published as: Lévi-Strauss, Claude 
(1966). “The Culinary Triangle.” The Partisan Review 33, 586–96.

Shapin, Steven. 2014. “‘You Are What You Eat’: Historical Changes in 
Ideas about Food and Identity.” Historical Research 87, 377-392.

Smith, Andrew F. 2013. Food and Drink in American History: A “Full 
Course” Encyclopedia. Volume 1. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.*

---------------
The COMMLIST
---------------
This mailing list is a free service offered by Nico Carpentier. Please use it responsibly and wisely.
--
To subscribe or unsubscribe, please visit http://commlist.org/
--
Before sending a posting request, please always read the guidelines at http://commlist.org/
--
To contact the mailing list manager:
Email: (nico.carpentier /at/ commlist.org)
URL: http://nicocarpentier.net
---------------