What do you think?
Rate this book
The Taste for Civilization: Food, Politics, and Civil Society
This book explores the idea that table activities--the mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving, and dining--lay the foundation for a proper education on the value of civility, the importance of the common good, and what it means to be a good citizen. The arts of conversation and diplomatic speech are learned and practiced at tables, and a political history of food practices recasts thoughtfulness and generosity as virtues that enhance civil society and democracy. In our industrialized and profit-centered culture, however, foodwork is devalued and civility is eroding. Looking at the field of American civility, Janet A. Flammang addresses the gendered responsibilities for foodwork's civilizing functions and argues that any formulation of "civil society" must consider food practices and the household. To allow space for practicing civility, generosity, and thoughtfulness through everyday foodwork, Americans must challenge the norms of unbridled consumerism, work-life balance, and domesticity and caregiving. Connecting political theory with the quotidian activities of the dinner table, Flammang discusses practical ideas from the "delicious revolution" and Slow Food movement to illustrate how civic activities are linked to foodwork, and she points to farmers' markets and gardens in communities, schools, and jails as sites for strengthening civil society and degendering foodwork.
- GenresFoodNonfictionHistory
325 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
3 people are currently reading
200 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
Read
April 29, 2010At a time when Western society is becoming more and more dependent on cheap and rapid sustenance of often dubious nutritional value, Janet Flammang’s study is an important reminder of both the way it was and the way it perhaps should be. In The Taste for Civilization, Flammang sets out to present what she calls “table activities” as central to respect, citizenship, and a greater good. Inevitably (because of both the topic and her expertise in Women’s Studies), the author’s analysis explicitly and logically makes gender a key factor in this construction. This researcher’s previous book was an analysis of the importance of studying women’s movements at all levels in political science, entitled Women’s Political Voice: How Women are Transforming the Practice and Study of Politics. As politics evolve, the “politics of food” could be said to be what is being examined in this new work.
This attractive volume (the cover photo is especially lovely) is divided into five parts and thirteen chapters, including extensive notes, a bibliography, and a handy index. An historical analysis of meals and food preparation in (principally) the Western world is included, and Flammang shows demonstrates her extensive knowledge of a wide array of topics from ancient Greek philosophy, to the Enlightenment thinkers, anthropology, sociology, and modern psychological studies. Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, and Freud are all called upon in the text, whether it is to define society or to explain women’s role in the feeding process.
Flammang begins with the premise that “table activities” (in other words, “everyday food practices” or “mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving, and dining”) are central to socialization, and therefore tackles the conundrum of women’s shifting position in this activity (from traditional gender roles, for example) and the possible consequences on Western civilization (the end of communication, discussion, and consensus?). Naturally, the author does not pass judgment on women for their lack of investment in the rituals (enough do!), but rather examines this important social change as it presents itself and proposes possible solutions to this important shift in practice. Interestingly and importantly, the author also analyzes shifting “food practices” along racial and class lines in several chapters.
Flammang also draws the topic away from the domestic sphere and discusses food-related issues that are regional, national, and international. Her discussions of the effect on North American society of certain food stuffs, like the use of bleached white flour or processes such as canning, are intriguing. Along with testimonials from the general population, she includes cultural references to changes brought about by immigration, including the semantic importance of food for certain groups (e.g., “breaking bread”). In chapter ten, entitled “Delicious Revolution,” she examines Alice Water, California chef and cookbook author, who has also extended her revolutionary food philosophy to schools where she is a vocal advocate for healthy meals in schools for all children.
Surprisingly, Julia Child, is not mentioned explicitly by Flammang, despite having been again prominent in the media since the 2009 movie retracing certain aspects of her life. At times, the subtitles of the chapters are sometimes puzzling and the author cannot avoid a certain amount of repetition (French philosopher Brillat-Savarin seems to be a favourite). Despite these remarks, this thorough analysis is exceptionally well written, and of interest to anyone who has even a remote curiosity as to the link between food and civilization in Western society.
Review by Sophie M. Lavoie
This attractive volume (the cover photo is especially lovely) is divided into five parts and thirteen chapters, including extensive notes, a bibliography, and a handy index. An historical analysis of meals and food preparation in (principally) the Western world is included, and Flammang shows demonstrates her extensive knowledge of a wide array of topics from ancient Greek philosophy, to the Enlightenment thinkers, anthropology, sociology, and modern psychological studies. Aristotle, Socrates, Plato, and Freud are all called upon in the text, whether it is to define society or to explain women’s role in the feeding process.
Flammang begins with the premise that “table activities” (in other words, “everyday food practices” or “mealtime rituals of food preparation, serving, and dining”) are central to socialization, and therefore tackles the conundrum of women’s shifting position in this activity (from traditional gender roles, for example) and the possible consequences on Western civilization (the end of communication, discussion, and consensus?). Naturally, the author does not pass judgment on women for their lack of investment in the rituals (enough do!), but rather examines this important social change as it presents itself and proposes possible solutions to this important shift in practice. Interestingly and importantly, the author also analyzes shifting “food practices” along racial and class lines in several chapters.
Flammang also draws the topic away from the domestic sphere and discusses food-related issues that are regional, national, and international. Her discussions of the effect on North American society of certain food stuffs, like the use of bleached white flour or processes such as canning, are intriguing. Along with testimonials from the general population, she includes cultural references to changes brought about by immigration, including the semantic importance of food for certain groups (e.g., “breaking bread”). In chapter ten, entitled “Delicious Revolution,” she examines Alice Water, California chef and cookbook author, who has also extended her revolutionary food philosophy to schools where she is a vocal advocate for healthy meals in schools for all children.
Surprisingly, Julia Child, is not mentioned explicitly by Flammang, despite having been again prominent in the media since the 2009 movie retracing certain aspects of her life. At times, the subtitles of the chapters are sometimes puzzling and the author cannot avoid a certain amount of repetition (French philosopher Brillat-Savarin seems to be a favourite). Despite these remarks, this thorough analysis is exceptionally well written, and of interest to anyone who has even a remote curiosity as to the link between food and civilization in Western society.
Review by Sophie M. Lavoie
November 22, 2010
Flammang's work is dedicated to the idea that societies, politics, conversations, and ultimately how we relate to one another, are strengthened or weakened by how we, as Americans, approach and conduct ourselves at mealtimes. Eating together is something that all people have in common.
Beginning with how we approach the table, Flammang looks at who, when, and by what means food gets put on the table presently and historically. This raises discussion of division of labor and how, practically and culturally, the perspectives of work in and at home have altered. Once we look at how we approach mealtime, Flammang asks us to consider what we're putting on the table, (which is often determined by how we've approached the table). Where did this food come from? Where did this recipe originate? She accentuates America's steady influences of immigrants and our history in farming and industrialization. Now that we've got food on the table, what is happening? Food is described by anthropologist Mary Douglas as "a code containing messages about different degrees of hierarchy, inclusion and exclusion, boundaries and transactions across boundaries".
For Flammang, the table lays the foundation for growing young community minded citizens and the first place to practice and enrich our own civil discourse through skills and conduct learned at mealtimes such as service to others, generosity, gratitude, the art of conversation, courtesy, and obligation. Americans have moved away from mealtime table activities for myriad reasons, leading to more than just health problems. There are many movements afoot, however, highlighted in the book, that work to bring emphasis and value back to agricultural and community minded sentiments and practices when it comes to food acquisition, preparation, and service. Or, you can always invite some friends for a potluck dinner!
Beginning with how we approach the table, Flammang looks at who, when, and by what means food gets put on the table presently and historically. This raises discussion of division of labor and how, practically and culturally, the perspectives of work in and at home have altered. Once we look at how we approach mealtime, Flammang asks us to consider what we're putting on the table, (which is often determined by how we've approached the table). Where did this food come from? Where did this recipe originate? She accentuates America's steady influences of immigrants and our history in farming and industrialization. Now that we've got food on the table, what is happening? Food is described by anthropologist Mary Douglas as "a code containing messages about different degrees of hierarchy, inclusion and exclusion, boundaries and transactions across boundaries".
For Flammang, the table lays the foundation for growing young community minded citizens and the first place to practice and enrich our own civil discourse through skills and conduct learned at mealtimes such as service to others, generosity, gratitude, the art of conversation, courtesy, and obligation. Americans have moved away from mealtime table activities for myriad reasons, leading to more than just health problems. There are many movements afoot, however, highlighted in the book, that work to bring emphasis and value back to agricultural and community minded sentiments and practices when it comes to food acquisition, preparation, and service. Or, you can always invite some friends for a potluck dinner!
Read
January 17, 2013A fascinating perspective on why food matters, not just for human health and the environment, but for human societies, civilization, equality and democracy. Food and drink are the hearths around which civilized conversations, and therefore democracy, thrive -- whether a tea house, coffee house or tavern, or the dinner table or breakfast nook at home. Flammang also delves into the gender implications of the shift towards fast food and away from the home kitchen -- and the answer is not that women should go back to the kitchen, it's that everyone, men, women and children, should go back to the kitchen (which is where we all were up until the industrial revolution).
December 10, 2015
Well, I made it a fair way through this book, but I think I've got better things to do at this point. The link between food and civilizing influences is a tantalizing one for me to explore, but the author's citations were a little too thickly spattered and often less than relevant. I COULD keep going, but I've decided I won't.
September 11, 2012
An interesting book showing how food is a part of civil society. I agree with many of the book's points but "doing" is so much harder in practise (i.e. having more family meals, shopping at farmer's markets when I'm always crunched for time and the local grocery story is faster to get to.
May 28, 2013
Important ideas on food today.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews