Re-orienting Cuisine

"[The book] is very informative, and introduces material that might lead to very interesting debates in culture and foodways, as well as in the classroom." · Merry White, Boston University "This book is unique in that it covers Eurasia as a system, linking East Asia to Europe in an interesting and creative ways." · James L. Watson, Professor Emeritus, Harvard University Foods are changed not only by those who produce and supply them, but also by those who consume them. Analyzing food without considering changes over time and across space is less meaningful than analyzing it in a global context where tastes, lifestyles, and imaginations cross boundaries and blend with each other, challenging the idea of authenticity. A dish that originated in Beijing and is recreated in New York is not necessarily the same, because although authenticity is often claimed, the form, ingredients, or taste may have changed. The contributors of this volume have expanded the discussion of food to include its social and cultural meanings and functions, thereby using it as a way to explain a culture and its changes. Kwang Ok Kim, D.Phil. Oxon. is Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at Seoul National University and Yongje Distinguished Professor at Yonsei University. He has conducted fieldwork on the politics of culture in Korea, the Chinese mainland, and Taiwan. His publications include Ethnicity: Beyond the Myth (2006), Politics of Culture and Power Structure of a Korean Local Society (2012), and China in Everyday Practice (forthcoming).