The article by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Murat Doğan, Vice Dean of Istanbul Gelişim University (IGU), Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) and a faculty member of the Department of Gastronomy and Culinary Arts, was published in the March issue of Hotel Restaurant & Hi-Tech Journal. The article was featured in the journal with the title “Food Studies: A Different Look at the World of Gastronomy”. The text of the relevant article is below.
Food Studies: A Different Look at the World of Gastronomy
My dear readers, in this article I would like to talk about “Food Studies”, a discipline that has not been given much attention and value in Turkey’s gastronomy field. However, first I need to explain food science and its relationship with food studies.
Food Science and the Path to Food Studies
Food science was largely addressed within the framework of natural sciences and engineering disciplines until the 2000s; The cultural, social and artistic dimensions of food have been largely ignored. This has led to food being studied only in terms of its biological, chemical and engineering aspects, while the economic, political and cultural effects of food on society have not been sufficiently evaluated. However, the rapid advancement of food science and technology has radically changed production and consumption habits and brought with it many new questions and problems.
The Emergence of Food Studies
Before industrialization, food was largely produced and consumed locally. People knew the origin of the food they consumed and were directly involved in the production processes. However, with modern agriculture, animal husbandry and the globalized food supply chain, this direct relationship has largely been broken, and consumers have difficulty knowing the source and processing processes of food.
Today, food has gone beyond being just a basic source of nutrition and has become a global economic value. This transformation has brought with it many complex issues such as health, environment, food safety, fair access, sustainability and ethics. The production, distribution and consumption processes of food have now become a part not only of agricultural and food sciences, but also of social, cultural, economic and political dynamics. Therefore, it has become necessary to adopt an interdisciplinary approach to understand and solve food-related problems.
In line with this need, a new discipline called Food Studies has developed. This discipline addresses food not only as a biological or chemical substance, but also as a social, cultural, historical and economic phenomenon. Based on the perspective of social sciences, food studies examines the environmental effects of food production, food justice and inequalities, the functioning of global food systems, consumer behavior and the cultural meanings of food. In this way, it is aimed to produce more holistic and comprehensive solutions to food-related problems.
Examples of Food Studies
For example, food studies investigates the effects of climate change on agriculture, the consequences of industrial food production on health and the environment, the importance of preserving traditional food systems and the effects of global food trade on local economies, and offers suggestions on how a sustainable and fair food system can be built. This discipline emphasizes that food is not only a commodity, but also a source of life and a part of cultural identity, thus adding new depth to discussions on food.
Is Food Studies a Branch of Science?
Food studies is an interdisciplinary field that provides a critical perspective on food-related issues within the axis of science, art, history and society. More clearly, food studies is a branch of science that seeks to understand the origins of food, its production processes and the effects of these processes on social identities. Studies in this field show that food is not only a means of nutrition, but also an important element that shapes cultural identity, determines social classes and guides political decisions.
Food studies investigates the effect of food on the formation of cultural identities, how it reflects inequalities between social classes and even how it shapes global policies. For example, the historical origins of a food can provide clues about the migration movements, trade routes and colonial past of that region. It is also closely related to current discussions such as industrial transformations in food production, environmental sustainability issues and fair trade.
Therefore, food studies offers a comprehensive perspective that goes beyond the nutritional function of food and explores its cultural, economic, political and ecological dimensions. Studies in this field emphasize the central role of food in human history and aim to contribute to the creation of more equitable and sustainable food systems in the future.
Food Studies Field of Activity
Food studies is a comprehensive academic field that deeply examines the relationship of people and societies with food with an interdisciplinary approach. This field offers rich and multidimensional analyses by bringing together methodologies from many different disciplines such as anthropology, ecology, geography, history, food science, nutrition, economics and sociology. For example, anthropology examines the cultural and symbolic meanings of food, while ecology addresses the environmental impacts of food production. History investigates the transformation of food consumption habits over time, while economics examines the global and local dynamics of food systems. However, since food studies is a relatively new academic field, there is no full consensus among scholars on which topics its content should cover. However, understanding and analyzing the relationship between individuals and societies and food has always been the main focus of this field. In this context, the main topics that food studies focus on can be detailed as follows.
Food Inequalities, Hunger and Famine
The unjust distribution of food causes serious inequalities around the world. While food is wasted on one side, millions of people struggle with hunger and malnutrition on the other. Famine regions in Africa and South Asia in particular are the most striking examples of this problem. Injustice in food access is further deepened by factors such as poverty, political instability and climate change.
Food Security and Unhealthy Eating Habits
Food security is not limited to access to food alone; it also includes the health and nutrition of the foods consumed. The spread of fast food culture, increased consumption of processed foods and poor quality eating habits trigger global health problems such as obesity, diabetes and heart disease. This situation has become more pronounced, especially in low-income communities.
Food Bioterrorism and the Fragility of Global Food Supply Chains
Global food supply chains are highly vulnerable to threats such as natural disasters, pandemics, or man-made attacks. Food bioterrorism is a threat that aims to create public panic by deliberately contaminating or destroying food sources. Such risks necessitate the reconsideration of food safety policies and the establishment of more resilient systems.
Economic Globalization and the Loss of Self-Sufficiency in Food Production
Globalization has caused countries to lose their self-sufficiency in food production. Many countries have become dependent on imports for their basic food needs. This leaves countries vulnerable to fluctuations in international trade, price increases, or disruptions in supply chains. Developing countries in particular are among those most affected by this dependency.
Environmental Impacts of Food Production and Consumption Processes and Sustainability Issues
Industrial agriculture and intensive animal husbandry lead to serious environmental problems such as soil erosion, water pollution, loss of biodiversity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions. Unsustainable food production threatens the food security of future generations. Innovative solutions such as organic farming, vertical farming and alternative protein sources offer hope for alleviating these problems.
These issues show that food studies is not only concerned with the production and consumption of food, but also with its social, economic, political and environmental dimensions. Creating a sustainable and just food system requires interdisciplinary collaboration and effective policies on a global scale.
As a result, food studies has moved beyond being a field that only examines eating practices, and has become a multifaceted discipline that addresses the cultural, economic, political and ecological dimensions of food. Considering the increasingly important issues of today such as global food crises, climate change and transformations in agricultural production, it is clear that the impact of food studies on societies needs to be investigated more and more.
Stay healthy…
Assoc. Prof. Murat Doğan
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