Food and drink not only provide the nourishment that sustains life, they also serve as an anchor for identity by tethering human kind to a particular place in nature, culture, time and place. Food has long been the immigrant’s language for articulating a conflicted sense of identity, a diasporic community’s language for a conflicted sense of cultural heritage, and for a nation’s augmented conflict over notions of territories and boundaries. As recipes and rituals around dining and drinking practices are handed down from one generation to the next, they help to create a sense of connection to those who have come before us and those who will come after us. In a world shaped by migration, colonisation, trade and travel, shared experiences of food and drink not only tie us to a particular place (terroir), such as a homeland, but also support the development of new practices that reflect the comingling of different food and drink cultures, as well as the changing conditions of the socio-political and natural environment.

To study food and drink in the 21st century is to think about how the interplay between food, society and culture is influenced by global as well as local factors on the production, distribution and consumption of food. Food and drink have shaped 21st society in myriad ways, including by supporting the hospitality, tourism and liquor industries, inspiring the obsession with cooking shows on television and cookbooks, generating interest in fad diets as a response to norms of body image, and influencing the architecture of dedicated spaces for eating and drinking. New technologies supporting crop development, food processing and mass production arguably make food and drink more accessible than they have ever been. The success of artisanal/boutique food and drink businesses indicates that smaller scale, traditional practices are still in demand, even if they are marketed toward more affluent consumers. However, the 21st century has also witnessed levels of economic austerity, environmental devastation, political instability and armed conflict that have had a significant impact on the supply of food and the capacity of individuals to feed themselves adequately.

In thinking about our relationship with food and drink, it is also important to think about the social cues and frameworks which condition us to perceive consumption. This could take the form of considering how aspects of daily life condition us to adopt a particular diet, how our initial attitudes toward “our” food and “foreign” food are shaped, how an economic system might be structured to discourage food waste, make healthy foods more affordable and eliminate starvation, and how international action could be taken to limit the impact of food scarcity.

In recognition that the concepts of heritage, terroir (sense of place) and conflict offer valuable entry points for thinking about food and drink in the 21st century, this inclusive, inter-disciplinary gathering aims to foster engagement and shared learnings that extend beyond the conference itself. Subject to the presentations and discussions which take place at the meeting, there is a possibility for a publication to emerge with the aim of engendering further interdisciplinary collaboration and discussion.

The organisers welcome proposals for presentations that examine food and drink in the context of heritage, terroir and conflict. Possible themes for presentations include but are not limited to:

~ Ethnic/traditional food as a business model (issues of authenticity, fusion, modernising/refining old recipes)
~ Food, Conflict and Global Economy – McDonaldization vs. traditional culinary practices
~ Impediments to sustainable/healthy eating, and how to address them
~ Constructing a sense of heritage and identity through ethnic food and drink festivals
~ 21st century architectural practices associated with particular food and drink cultures (bars/pubs, hawker markets, cafeterias, etc.)
~ Role of education in teaching attitudes toward culinary practices and culinary heritage(s)
~ Art, film, music, videogames, television and literature that engages with the appreciation of food and drink heritage
~ Commodifying culinary terroir: food and drink tasting tours, the science behind unique taste of place and attempts to copy it
~ Food and personal heritage: food as a focus of memoir, autobiography and biography
~ Chefs and restaurants known for making a particular place or type of cuisine famous
~ Food and drink in religious/spiritual traditions
~ Food and water scarcity as cause/result of conflict, and responses to address it
~ Water privatisation
~ Food and drink in wartime/exile/asylum
~ Lawsuits over food and drink: trademarks/patents/ownership in relation to recipes, machinery of production, etc.
~ Legal and legislative provisions concerning rights of prisoners, refugees, the poor, etc.
~ Trade deals and treaties for commodities used to make food and drink
~ Food and drink as source of conflict and danger: alcohol-related violence, poisoned/contaminated food and beverages
~ Attitudes and activism around sustainable farming/grazing/slaughter practices
~ Ethical eating and new business models to cater for it (veganism, vegetarianism, etc.)
~ Food, drink and personal conflict: eating disorders, alcohol addiction, comfort eating, dieting, etc.
~ Futuristic/late 21st century predictions for our relationship with food and drink

What to Send
The aim of this inclusive interdisciplinary conference and collaborative networking event is to bring together academics, professionals, practitioners, media artists, performers, NGO’s, voluntary sector workers, in the context of a variety of formats: papers, seminars, workshops, panels, q&a’s, performances, media screenings etc. Please feel free to put forward proposals that you think will get the message across, in whatever form.

Whilst we welcome proposals for live cooking/food creation sessions, our options are unfortunately limited by the facilities available at the venue as well as any cost considerations relating to staging such a session. If you are interested in staging something along these lines, please contact us and let us know what you have in mind and we will try out best to accommodate it.

300 word proposals, presentations, abstracts and other forms of contribution and participation should be submitted by Friday 4th October 2019. Other forms of participation should be discussed in advance with the Organising Chairs.

All submissions will be minimally double reviewed, under anonymous (blind) conditions, by a global panel drawn from members of the Project Team and the Advisory Board. In practice our procedures usually entail that by the time a proposal is accepted, it will have been minimally triple and quadruple reviewed.

You will be notified of the panel’s decision by Friday 18th October 2019.

If your submission is accepted for the conference, a full draft of your contribution should be submitted by Friday 17th January 2020.

Abstracts and proposals may be in Word, PDF, RTF or Notepad formats with the following information and in this order:
a) author(s), b) affiliation as you would like it to appear in the programme, c) email address, d) title of proposal, e) body of proposal, f) up to 10 keywords.

E-mails should be entitled: Food & Drink 3

Where to Send
Abstracts should be submitted simultaneously to the Organising Chair and the Project Administrator:

Ruchira Datta: ruchira@progressiveconnexions.net
Len Capuli (Project Administrator): praguefood3@progressiveconnexions.net

What's So Special About a Progressive Connexions Event?
A fresh, friendly, dynamic format – at Progressive Connexions we are dedicated to breaking away from the stuffy, old-fashion conference formats, where endless presentations are read aloud off PowerPoints. We work to bring you an interactive format, where exchange of experience and information is alternated with captivating workshops, engaging debates and round tables, time set aside for getting to know each other and for discussing common future projects and initiatives, all in a warm, relaxed, egalitarian atmosphere.

A chance to network with international professionals – the beauty of our interdisciplinary events is that they bring together professionals from all over the world and from various fields of activity, all joined together by a shared passion. Not only will the exchange of experience, knowledge and stories be extremely valuable in itself, but we seek to create lasting, ever-growing communities around our projects, which will become a valuable resource for those belonging to them.

A chance to be part of constructing change – There is only one thing we love as much as promoting knowledge: promoting real, lasting social change by encouraging our participants to take collective action, under whichever form is most suited to their needs and expertise (policy proposals, measuring instruments, research projects, educational materials, etc.) We will support all such actions in the aftermath of the event as well, providing a platform for further discussions, advice from the experts on our Project Advisory Team and various other tools and intellectual resources, as needed.

An opportunity to discuss things that matter to you – Our events are not only about discussing how things work in the respective field, but also about how people work in that field – what are the struggles, problems and solutions professionals have found in their line of work, what are the areas where better communication among specialists is needed and how the interdisciplinary approach can help bridge those gaps and help provide answers to questions from specific areas of activity.

An unforgettable experience – When participating in a Progressive Connexions event, there is a good chance you will make some long-time friends. Our group sizes are intimate, our venues are comfortable and relaxing and our event locations are suited to the history and culture of the event.

Ethos
Progressive Connexions believes it is a mark of personal courtesy and professional respect to your colleagues that all delegates should attend for the full duration of the meeting. If you are unable to make this commitment, please do not submit an abstract or proposal for presentation.

Please note: Progressive Connexions is a not-for-profit network and we are not in a position to be able to assist with conference travel or subsistence, nor can we offer discounts off published rates and fees.

For enquiries and further details please email: praguefood3@progressiveconnexions.net

Web address: http://www.progressiveconnexions.net/interdisciplinary-projects/food-and-drink/food-and-drink-in-the-21st-century/conferences/

Sponsored by: Progressive Connexions