The sociology of food : eating, diet and culture /

An extensive survey of sociological, anthropological, and historical perspectives on the production, distribution, and consumption of food. The authors review this immense literature historically and cross-culturally, using both theoretical and empirical approaches. They focus particular attention on several topics, such as the class-cultural components of food tastes, the impact of social structural variables on the distribution of food, and the multifaceted role played by food within "total institutions." They also discuss the debate concerning women's control over food choices in the home, social stratification and its impact upon the development of "haute cuisine," and the individualization of eating as a component of the reorganization of modern family life. Although the authors offer no clear solutions to the many questions they raise, their work points to new queries and to the need for further research into the topic of food in society. Should be added to any collection on diet, eating, food, or hunger. All levels. D. Gimlin SUNY at Stony Brook