Sustainability Matters

Wie wurde die bescheidene Tomate zum Symbol der kulinarischen Globalisierung? Die komplexen Interessen und Machtstrukturen, die das Welternährungssystem prägen, sind ein deutlicher Hinweis auf den politischen Charakter von Lebensmitteln. Anhand zahlreicher Fallbeispiele aus Europa, Asien und Afrika stellen die Redakteure Cornelia Reiher und Sarah Ruth Sippel in ihrem Buch "Umkämpftes Essen" fest, dass privatwirtschaftlich finanzierte Unternehmen das globale Ernährungssystem maßgeblich beeinflussen. In dieser Folge der Sonderreihe „Mahlzeit“ des Humanities Matter Podcasts von Brill sprechen die Redakteure über die komplexen Machtverhältnisse in der globalen Lebensmittelindustrie und die Interessen der Hauptakteure. Sie betonen die Bedeutung einer öffentlichen und demokratischen Debatte über die Bedingungen von Produktion, Handel und den Konsum von Lebensmitteln.

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How did the humble tomato become a symbol of culinary globalization? The complex interests and power structures that shape the world food system are clear indications of the political nature of food. Using a number of case studies from Europe, Asia, and Africa, in their book Umkämpftes Essen, editors Cornelia Reiher and Sarah Ruth Sippel determine that privately financed companies are the major influencers of the global food system. In this episode of the special series, Mahlzeit, of the Humanities Matter podcast brought to you by Brill, the editors discuss the complex power relations of the global food industry and the vested interests of the key players. They stress the importance of public and democratic debate around the conditions behind the production, trade, and consumption of food.


Guest: Cornelia Reiher and Sarah Ruth Sippel
Host: Ursula Stalmann

Der Wert der globalen Fleischindustrie beträgt aktuell ungefähr eine Billiarde Dollar. Fleisch ist überall leicht erhältlich und diese permanente Verfügbarkeit als Konsumartikel ist ein einzigartiges Merkmal des modernen Zeitalters. In seinem Buch: Fleisch: Die Geschichte einer Industrialisierung beschreibt Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung kulturelle Techniken industrieller Schweinefleisch-Produktion, von der Zucht, Haltung und Schlachtung bis zum Vertrieb und zur Zubereitung des Fleisches. In dieser Folge von „Mahlzeit“ des Humanities Matter Podcasts von Brill, geht er auf die Ursprünge des Fleischessens im Berlin des 19. Jahrhunderts ein und zeigt die Zusammenhänge zwischen Industrialisierung und Schweinefleischkonsum. Außerdem spricht er darüber, wie kulinarische Systeme und Esskultur durch den Fleischkonsum geprägt wurden.

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The meat industry stands at a value of over one trillion dollars globally. Meat is easily available everywhere, and its availability as a consumer good is a unique feature of the modern age. In his book Fleisch: Die Geschichte einer Industrialisierung, Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung describes the cultural techniques of industrial pork production from breeding, husbandry, and slaughtering pigs to the meat’s distribution and preparation. In this episode of “Mahlzeit” by the Humanities Matter podcast from Brill, he discusses the origins of meat-eating from 19th century Berlin and unpacks the connections between industrialization and the consumption of pork. He also talks about how culinary systems and food culture have been shaped by meat consumption.

Guest: Prof. Dr. Christian Kassung
Host: Ursula Stalmann

Esskultur und Essgewohnheiten sind ein prägnanter Teil von Kultur und entwickeln sich permanent weiter. Die Art, wie wir essen, ist nicht biologisch vorgegeben, sondern Ergebnis unserer sozialen und kulturellen Prägung. Warum haben sich bestimmte Gewohnheiten und Verhaltensweisen beim Essen im Laufe der Zeit durchsetzen können? Welche Entstehungsgeschichte steckt etwa hinter Esswerkzeugen und Geschirr? 

Martin Hablesreiter und Sonja Stummerer zeigen in ihrem Buch „wie wir essen“ viele Facetten der Nahrungsaufnahme. Sie werfen einen detaillierten Blick auf Besteck und Werkzeuge und auf Tischgewohnheiten und die kulturellen Unterschiede rund um Essen und Esskultur. Was sie zu diesem Buch inspiriert hat und was sie über Tischkultur und Nachhaltigkeit denken, hören Sie in dieser Sonderfolge des„ Humanities Matter“ Podcasts von Brill.

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Food culture and eating habits are a constantly evolving aspect of cultural design. The way we eat is not a biological trait but a result of our social and cultural conditioning. How have certain habits and behaviors while eating been able to assert themselves over time? What is the origin story of certain eating utensils?

Artist duo Martin Hablesreiter and Sonja Stummerer document the nuances of cutlery, utensils, table habits, and the cultural differences surrounding food and eating culture in their book, “How We Eat”. Listen to what inspired them to write this book, as well as their views on sustainability in table culture, in this special series of the Humanities Matter podcast by Brill.  

Guests: Martin Hablesreiter and Sonja Stummerer
Host: Ursula Stalmann

Central Asia—the Eurasian heartland—is home to multiple culturally rich countries such as China, Iran, Mongolia, and Turkey. Naturally, with the advent of trade and globalization, multiple cultural exchanges occurred among these countries along the Silk Route, of which food was an essential aspect.

In this episode of Brill’s new Humanities Matter Podcast special series Mahlzeit, Dr. Eugene Anderson—a retired professor of Anthropology at the University of California, Riverside, talks about the various nuances and implications of these food exchanges, while discussing the book he has co-authored: “Crossroads of Cuisine: The Eurasian Heartland, the Silk Roads and Food: Crossroads – History of Interactions across the Silk Route, Volume 2.” His book delves deep into the history of foods, food exchanges and cultures, and the role they played in fostering a relationship between the East and the West. 

Guest: Dr. Eugene Anderson
Host: Leigh Giangreco

Food security is threatened the world over, with the number of chronically undernourished people increasing from 775 million in 2014 to 821 million in 2017. This situation is likely to worsen by the effects of climate change, which is exacerbating problems in agricultural food supply, particularly in regions like Sub-Saharan Africa. Under these conditions, will the world community be able to meet its target of ending hunger and malnutrition by 2030? 

We discuss this crucial humanitarian crisis with Ivo Wallimann-Helmer, Professor for Environmental Humanities at the University of Fribourg Environmental Sciences and Humanities Institute, in this very first episode of our special series, Mahlzeit, brought to you by Brill as part of the Humanities Matter podcast. Join us to learn more about Prof. Wallimann-Helmer’s views on ethics, food security, and climate change as he discusses his edited book, Justice and Food Security in a Changing Climate.

Guests: Ivo Wallimann-Helmer
Host: Leigh Giangreco

The European Journal of Jewish Studies (EJJS) is a prominent voice in global Jewish studies, having delivered entirely new directions for research in the field. Recently, a new editorial team took charge of this prestigious journal. With the changing of the guard, the EJJS is all set for a major revamp.

In this episode, the editors of EJJS—Marcin Wodziński, a professor of Jewish History & Literature at University of Wroclaw, and Katja Smid, a distinguished researcher in Sephardic Studies at the Spanish National Research Council in Madrid, discuss exciting new plans and future directions for the journal, as well as their motivation to revamp it. Among other issues, they discuss how upcoming issues will renew focus on thematic sections, starting with the first such section on Jewish history and culture in the Balkans, which is slated to appear in Spring 2023. 

Guests: Marcin Wodziński and Katja Smid
Host: Leigh Giangreco

The intricacies of imperialism and colonialism within the context of the Bible are nuanced and varied. Understanding the legacy of European Imperialism requires careful reflection of the Bible’s affinity with the empire and concentration of power. In this episode of Humanities Matter, Dr. Steed Vernyl Davidson, author of “Writing/Reading the Bible in Postcolonial Perspective”, elaborates on the ambiguities of the Bible as an anti-imperial tool and his work in tracing the evolution of the Bible from its production in ancient empires to its role in the development of modern imperialism.

The book sets the context within which further exploration of postcolonial biblical critical work can take place and lays out the challenges of intersectional work with queer studies, terrorism studies, technology, and ecological studies as future tasks.

Guest: Dr. Steed Vernyl Davidson
Host: Leigh Giangreco

There has been no greater surge in global fashion trends and expressions of personal style than in the contemporary era of social media fashion influencers. But what constitutes “being in fashion” amongst this multiplicity of interpretations? 

In this episode of Humanities Matter, Dr. Laura Petican, art historian and curator, and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn, Professor of Sociology, Program Director BA Sociology, National University, San Diego, explore various disciplinary, professional, and creative perspectives to expand their proposition that fashion is about self-presentation. In Fashion: Culture, Commerce, Craft, and Identity, published by Brill and edited by Drs. Petican and Foltyn, is a deep exploration of fashion representations; being fashionable, shopping, luxury, and vintage; fashion materials, craft, industry, and innovation; museum-worthy fashion; and fashioning cultural identities.

Guest: Dr. Laura Petican and Dr. Jacque Lynn Foltyn
Host: Leigh Giangreco