Document Type

Essay

Publication Date

Spring 2024

Abstract

Italy has become a common “landing country” for many European and Asian immigrants, creating a perception of invasion that has led to cultural reactionism masked in the reinforcement of “traditional cuisine.” For so-called traditional foods to endure, they must continually be reinvented, bearing different meanings and social values throughout time and space while accumulating rich, cultural baggage that serves as a powerful marker of identity in a given society. This paper explores the role of traditional cuisine in Italian national identity and pride, and the subsequent historical culinary antagonism maintained in widespread attitudes toward ethnic cuisine in Italy. Through an analysis of primary and secondary literature, complemented by qualitative field observations in the Italian cities of Perugia and Modena, several instances of culinary discrimination are discussed within the political, social, cultural, and historical complexities of preserving tradition while also accommodating diversity, highlighting an interplay between nostalgia and xenophobia that we can almost taste. Key factors such as food legislation, the tourism industry, and evolving attitudes among young generations are considered to yield a dynamic picture of the current perceptions of ethnic cuisine in Italy. Despite lingering biases, there is hope for a future of culinary coexistence and integrative celebration of non-Italian foods in Italian culture, driven by young individuals’ openness to diverse tastes and traditions.

Comments

Rachel Berns won Third Place in the 2024 Kevin and Tam Ross Undergraduate Research Prize for her essay about cultural attitudes toward ethnic cuisine in Italy.. This essay is the original scholarship that emerged from that research.

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