Cultural Studies paper by Pereszlényi, Mártha Pintér
Gastronationalism or Globalism? In Which Direction is Hungarian Gastronomy Headed? (Accepted)
Type of Abstract (select): Paper presentationAbstract (max. 250 words):
Cultural historians have called food “fundamentally political” and “one of the essential commodities with which political powers at various levels are concerned,” because food is an expression of both identity and identity maintenance. Gastronationalism or culinary nationalism is the use of food and its history, production, control, preparation and consumption as a way of promoting nationalism and national identity. Will fusion cuisine (=combines elements of different culinary traditions that originate from different countries) destroy Hungarian identity, even if it is Hungarian Sushi at a Michelin starred restaurant in Budapest? Or should we recall that paprika, pasta, and sweet peppers introduced to Hungary from foreign lands have completely infiltrated its historic gastronomy? Will Mangalica pigs raised in the USA challenge Hungary’s claim to fame? Is the European Union threatening Hungarian gastronationalism? For example, Pick “Téliszalami” was declared a “Hungaricum” in 2014, meaning that it has a value worthy of distinction and highlighting, and with its characteristic features, uniqueness, distinctiveness, and quality, the peak achievement of Hungarianism. In early 2023, a 250-gram packet of téliszalami in a German shop cost EUR 5.70, but in Hungary around EUR equivalent 8.90-10. How heavily will local Hungarians protest this intrusion? A 2020 article published by Cambridge UP found that while the concept of gastronationalism had not been fully developed in academia, scholarship is developing quickly. This paper seeks to demonstrate that Hungarian gastronationalism has the potential – or NOT - to challenge the conceptions of the homogenizing forces of globalism.
Brief Professional Bio (max. 100 words):
Mártha Pereszlényi-Pintér is the former Chairperson of the Department of Classical and Modern Languages and Cultures and Associate Professor of French at John Carroll University in Cleveland, OH. She earned her Ph.D. in Romance Languages from The Ohio State University, and studied at the Institut de Touraine (Tours) and the Bryn Mawr Program (Avignon) in France. Her research and publication accomplishments include French and also Hungarian Literature and Culture of the pre-modern period (Medieval, Renaissance, 17th century), Film, and Language for Business & the Professions. She has read papers at national and international conferences. While at OSU, she wrote or co-wrote 16 manuals for individualized instruction in both French and Hungarian with group grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Annenberg Foundation. She was born in Austria and emigrated to the USA with her Hungarian parents. She is also a past President of AHEA, and chaired or co-chaired four past AHEA annual Conferences.