food, sociological studies of
food, sociological studies of An area of sociology which, with some significant exceptions (as in the work of Norbert Elias on table-manners), is of very recent interest, despite the quite widespread and long-standing attention to the rituals surrounding food in the work of social anthropologists. ( Claude Lévi-Strauss 's studies, such as The Raw and the Cooked, 1970
, are a notable illustration of the latter.) The anthropological interest in food no doubt arises from the attention to the details of everyday life that are a feature of ethnographic studies. The prohibitions and prescriptions relating to food provide a useful vehicle for the examination of cultural differences. Without the same concern to describe the full detail of everyday behaviour, so much of which is taken for granted, ideas and practices concerning food have until recently generally seemed of little significance to sociologists, except in the context either of studies of poverty and deprivation, or of the study of agriculture and industry.
The expanding sociological interest in food stems most obviously from, and is a reflection of, the growing social and cultural significance of food in affluent industrial societies. Whereas the preparation and consumption of food may often have been simply seen as the meeting of a biological need, they are now seen as of diverse cultural and social significance. On the one hand, they are regarded as of major significance to the individual's bodily health, with diet identified as a key health-related behaviour, and a range of studies now examining many aspects of food and diet. There has also been an enormous increase in eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, which are more frequently detected in women than men and are seen as in part a reflection of the cultural significance attached to diet and the body. On the other hand, the preparation and consumption of food within the home are seen as important aspects of the gender-based division of labour and distribution of resources. In addition, the consumption of food in the public sphere is not only an increasingly common leisure activity, but is also seen to be important to the maintenance of the social networks surrounding paid employment.
The sociology of food is therefore likely to be an expanding area of research for some years to come. Jack Goody's Cooking, Cuisine and Class (1982) and Stephen Mennell's All Manners of Food (1985) give good–though quite different–impressions of the field.
, are a notable illustration of the latter.) The anthropological interest in food no doubt arises from the attention to the details of everyday life that are a feature of ethnographic studies. The prohibitions and prescriptions relating to food provide a useful vehicle for the examination of cultural differences. Without the same concern to describe the full detail of everyday behaviour, so much of which is taken for granted, ideas and practices concerning food have until recently generally seemed of little significance to sociologists, except in the context either of studies of poverty and deprivation, or of the study of agriculture and industry.
The expanding sociological interest in food stems most obviously from, and is a reflection of, the growing social and cultural significance of food in affluent industrial societies. Whereas the preparation and consumption of food may often have been simply seen as the meeting of a biological need, they are now seen as of diverse cultural and social significance. On the one hand, they are regarded as of major significance to the individual's bodily health, with diet identified as a key health-related behaviour, and a range of studies now examining many aspects of food and diet. There has also been an enormous increase in eating disorders, such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, which are more frequently detected in women than men and are seen as in part a reflection of the cultural significance attached to diet and the body. On the other hand, the preparation and consumption of food within the home are seen as important aspects of the gender-based division of labour and distribution of resources. In addition, the consumption of food in the public sphere is not only an increasingly common leisure activity, but is also seen to be important to the maintenance of the social networks surrounding paid employment.
The sociology of food is therefore likely to be an expanding area of research for some years to come. Jack Goody's Cooking, Cuisine and Class (1982) and Stephen Mennell's All Manners of Food (1985) give good–though quite different–impressions of the field.
More From encyclopedia.com
Sociology , SOCIOLOGY. Sociology involves the study of how people relate to each other, as well as how the institutions of society affect behavior and attitudes.… Health Foods , NATURAL FOODS. The concept of natural foods is obscure from many perspectives. Although international literature offers no clear definition, the term… Meal , MEAL
MEAL. Academic interest in meals, while crossing many disciplines, is concentrated mostly in the fields of social anthropology and sociology. Th… Food Pyramid , The Food Guide Pyramid is a graphic representation of A Pattern for Daily Food Choices, a food guide that was developed by the U.S. Department of Agr… Elimination Diet , Definition
An elimination diet is the systematic elimination of foods or group of foods from the diet suspected in causing a food allergy. It is used… Food Irradiation , Food irradiation refers to a process where food is exposed to a type of radiation called ionizing radiation . The high-energy of the radiation, which…
About this article
food, sociological studies of
You Might Also Like
NEARBY TERMS
food, sociological studies of