Twenty-Fourth International Conference on New Directions in the Humanities

Abstract

This paper explores the concept of contamination, in both positive and negative contexts, as useful for Critical Food Studies. In a positive sense, contamination refers to the creative and productive blending of different experiences, resulting in richer and more complex identities. This process involves the assimilation of meanings, symbols, and practices between cultures, resulting in mixed genres of meaning and fostering cultural exchange. On the other hand, the pathological model views contamination as a threat to identity, reassertions of authenticity, and often leads to separatist reactions. The Western notion of contamination is contradictory, as it both recuperates subjects from cultural dangers and deconstructs strong identities, legitimizing social, cultural, and artistic hybridization. In relation to food, migration and globalization have contributed to the spread of diverse food cultures through a variety of ingredients and food practices, leaving lasting influences on local culinary traditions. However, it has also distorted the relationship between foods and the culinary cultures to which they are identified, especially by tourism and its contaminations.