Labeling traditional foods to compete in a global market: seminar on Thursday, 4th of October

I would like to invite you to join us for the Max Planck Partner Group for the Sociology of Economic Life seminar on Thursday, 4th of October from 14:00 to 16:00 at Pałac Staszica, ul. Nowy Świat 72, room 154. During the seminar Fabio Parasecoli (New York University) will present his book Knowing where it comes from: Labeling traditional foods to compete in a global market (University of Iowa Press) and briefly discuss the grant project he and Mateusz Halawa are starting on the revaluation of traditional and local food in Poland. The opening comment after the presentation will be provided by Renata Hryciuk (professor at the Institute of Ethnology and Cultural Anthropology, University of Warsaw).

For those interested in taking part in the seminar, please write an email to marcin.serafin@ifispan.waw.pl so we can send you the discussion paper before the seminar. For more information, please see below.

Abstract: Offering the first broadly comparative analysis of place-based labeling and marketing systems, Knowing Where It Comes From examines the way claims about the origins and meanings of traditional foods get made around the world, from Italy and France to Costa Rica and Thailand. It also highlights the implications of different systems for both producers and consumers. Labeling regimes have moved beyond intellectual property to embrace community-based protections, intangible cultural heritage, cultural landscapes, and indigenous knowledge. Reflecting a rich array of juridical, regulatory, and activist perspectives, these approaches seek to level the playing field on which food producers and consumers interact.

Fabio Parasecoli is a Professor in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies of New York University. He has a Doctorate in Agricultural Sciences (Dr.sc.agr.) from Hohenheim University, Stuttgart. Fabio’s research explores the intersections among food, media, and politics. His most recent projects focus on food design and the synergies between food studies and design. After covering Middle and Far Eastern political issues, he wrote for many years as the U.S. correspondent for Gambero Rosso, Italy’s authoritative food and wine magazine. Recent books include Bite me! Food in Popular Culture (2008), the six-volume Cultural History of Food (2012, co-edited with Peter Scholliers), Al Dente: A History of Food in Italy (2014, translated into Italian in 2015 and into Korean in 2018), Feasting Our Eyes: Food, Film, and Cultural Citizenship in the US (2016, authored with Laura Lindenfeld), and Knowing Where It Comes From: Labeling Traditional Foods to Compete in a Global Market (2017).