This article discusses the ways in which Taiwanese utilized rice as a cultural symbol in anti-globalization movements. Analyzing the period from 1960 to 2015, it distinguishes among three phases: the internationalization phase (1960–83); the globalization phase (1984–2003); and the anti-globalization phase (2004–15). There are two main focuses of concern. First, have Taiwanese dietary habits, represented by rice, their main staple food, changed as a result of cultural encounters created by processes of internationalization, globalization, and anti-globalization? Second, what are the unique characteristics of Taiwan's anti-globalization movements in the context of food justice movements around the world? My research results indicate that Taiwan's anti-globalization campaigns are unique because of their development through large-scale organized social movements and their prominent use of symbolism and performance arts, leading to the birth of far-reaching public discourses and public values. However, possibly as a result of historical factors, discourse about issues of social justice and equality is relatively absent from local food network initiatives in Taiwan.
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Fall 2017
Research Article|
August 01 2017
The Cultural Politics of Food: Rice as an Anti-Globalization Project
Ding-Tzann Lii
Ding-Tzann Lii
National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan
Ding-tzann Lii is a sociologist with interdisciplinary interests. His major topic of research is democracy in everyday life, with a special focus on civic agriculture and the food industry.
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Gastronomica (2017) 17 (3): 24–35.
Citation
Ding-Tzann Lii; The Cultural Politics of Food: Rice as an Anti-Globalization Project. Gastronomica 1 August 2017; 17 (3): 24–35. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2017.17.3.24
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