Nation and otherness in the area of food: notes on the Chilean case

Abstract

Food, nation and otherness: an approximation to the Chilean caseThis paper seeks to give account for one possible perspective in the anthropology of food framework. This perspective considers studying the food and restaurants as cultural expressions where nation and otherness have a particular place. I will begin given a brief portrayal of the present status of the food research in the social sciences and a recount of the main milestones of its institutionalization in the Chilean scholar sphere. Then, I will analyze the possibilities that thinking about food as a culture and a resource open for anthropology. Finally, some examples where this framework is use will be presented. Although, the cases propose refer to Chile, I trust that a general perspective could open an intense debate at a regional level.