The Dilemma of a Fragmented Self

Mass migrations, language, and the future of identity

How can language create such a convoluted way of experiencing the everyday world? We can explore this phenomenon with two linked concepts: the speech act and the discourse community. ...

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The Dilemma of a Fragmented Self

War Crimes, Controversial Food Takes, Indigenous Land Acknowledgments

Episode 206

Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: President Trump recently pardoned three American servicemen convicted of war crimes. Natalia referred to Adam Serwer’s Atlantic piece “The Cruelty is the Point” and this New Yorker article about the 19th-century origins of the military court system. Niki recommended reading up on the case of Eddie Gallagher to understand ...
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How the North American Free Trade Agreement ruined Nourishment

A Review of “Eating NAFTA”

Eating NAFTA demonstrates the urgency of responding to a clear and yet mostly invisible health crisis that manifests across borders. It offers tools for rethinking existing approaches to trade and food systems from a transnational, intersectional and structural perspective that shifts the blame that public institutions have placed on individuals (particularly ...
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When Food Becomes Political

The Netflix series Chef’s table shows why we take cooking seriously

Cooking shows, as a genre, have long fascinated the American public. From the beloved figure of Julia Child cooking French food, to the travel adventures of Anthony Bourdain, the genre is continuously evolving and attracting a growing number of followers vicariously experiencing foreign cuisines and cultures. Netflix’s documentary series, Chef’s Table, is ...
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When Food Becomes Political

Anthony Bourdain, Family Values, and Ageism

Past Present Episode 136

In this week's episode, Neil, Niki, and Natalia debate the legacy of Anthony Bourdain, the end of “family values” conservatism, and ageism as a form of discrimination. Here are some links and references mentioned during this week’s show: The late Anthony Bourdain helped define the now familiar figure of the “celebrity chef.” ...
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Anthony Bourdain, Family Values, and Ageism