Dr. Clio Nicastro co-organized the event "Gastronativism: Food and Identity Politics in the New World Order" at Spore Initiative

Dr. Clio Nicastro co-organized the event "Gastronativism: Food and Identity Politics in the New World Order" at Spore Initiative on July 1, 2026. The event featured a lecture by food culture researcher Fabio Parasecoli, who introduced the concept of gastronativism and traced its connection to contemporary geopolitics.

Threatened by the globalization of food systems, people have responded by searching for their roots, sometimes playing into the hands of nationalist and xenophobic movements. For example, "The Italian political right has expressed outrage over halal tortellini and pork-free lasagna served at the Vatican. European anti-immigrant politicians denounce couscous and kebabs. In the United States, burgers have become a battleground for political disputes about American identity and climate change. In India, Hindu fundamentalists organize attacks on Muslims who sell beef."

However, gastronativism is not always exclusionary. Sometimes, as in the cases of Slow Food and the food sovereignty movement, it leverages pride in local production and culinary traditions to resist transnational corporations, uplift marginalized and oppressed groups, and help those left behind by globalization.

Following the lecture, the event inlcuded a discussion between Parasecoli and anthropologist Elisa T. Bertuzzo.

Post Date: 07-04-2026