Nourishing the Nation: Food as National Identity in Catalonia / Edition 1

by Venetia Johannes

Overview

In the early twenty-first century, nationalism has seen a surprising resurgence across the Western world. In the Catalan Autonomous Community in northeastern Spain, this resurgence has been most apparent in widespread support for Catalonia’s pro-independence movement, and the popular assertion of Catalan symbols, culture and identity in everyday life. Nourishing the Nation provides an ethnographic account of the everyday experience of national identity in Catalonia, using an essential, everyday object of consumption: food. As a crucial element of Catalan cultural life, a focus on food provides unique insight into the lived realities of Catalan nationalism, and how Catalans experience and express their national identity today.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781789204377
Publisher:	Berghahn Books, Incorporated
Publication date:	11/04/2019
Series:	New Directions in Anthropology , #44
Pages:	278
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Venetia Johannes is a post-doctoral research affiliate at the School of Anthropology and Museum Ethnography, University of Oxford. She was co-editor of The Emergence of National Food: The Dynamics of Food and Nationalism (Bloomsbury, 2019), and has published chapters and articles on Catalonia, food, nationalism, and heritage.

Table of Contents

List of Illustrations
Acknowledgements
Note on Language and Translation
Maps of Spain and Catalonia

Introduction: Nourishing Catalan Nationalism

Chapter 1. Catalan Cookbooks: Creating Catalonia through Culinary Literature
Chapter 2. The Foundational Sauces and National Dishes
Chapter 3. Catalan Cuisine in Context
Chapter 4. The Gastronomic Calendar: Seasonality, Festivity and Territory
Chapter 5. Catalan National Days and their Foods

Conclusion: Cuisine as National Identity

Glossary
References
Index

Editorial Reviews

“Nourishing the Nation: Food as National Identity in Catalonia presents a captivating and compelling ethnographic study centered on Catalonia, exploring nationalist movements and tangible cultural aspects. This book holds immense appeal for students across diverse fields within the social sciences, effectively connecting history, anthropology, and even political science. Furthermore, the book showcases innovation and creativity by employing photo-elicitation as a method in ethnographic research. Despite its theoretical sophistication, the book maintains an approachable and engaging style, making it accessible even to the general public with an interest in understanding Catalonia’s rich history, and how the Catalans’ take pride with their gastronomic tradition.” • Anthropology Book Forum

“The author provides a model useful to others interested in the intersectionality of nation, region, and food. Overall, the book is of great value to Iberian scholars but also provides interesting food for thought for those interested in any related field.” • Food, Culture and Society

“…a fascinating and mostiy well-written study of Catalan gastro-nationalism…There are parts of Nourishing the Nation which are likely to appeal primarily to the academic anthropologist but most of this diligently and intelligently researched book with also intrigue those interested in Catalonia's long, fraught and so far unsuccessful bid to become an independent nation.” • The Critic

“This is an extremely interesting overview of Catalan food and its place as a symbol and signifier of Catalan nationalism as well as of how food has helped maintain Catalan national identity. In addition, it makes your mouth water as you start to search for the nearest Catalan restaurant to test some of the dishes described. Strongly recommended.” • Gabriel Stein on Amazon.com

“This is an excellent piece of work on Catalan gastronationalism as lived reality. It is written well and very readable – not a dry academic monograph but a vivid depiction of how people live ‘food’ in today’s Catalonia.” • Atsuko Ichijo, Kingston University

From the Publisher