Nourishing the Nation

In the early twenty-first century, nationalism has seen a surprising resurgence across the Western world. In the Catalan Autonomous Community in northeastern Spain, this resurgence has been most apparent in widespread support for Catalonia’s pro-independence movement, and the popular assertion of Catalan symbols, culture and identity in everyday life. Nourishing the Nation provides an ethnographic account of the everyday experience of national identity in Catalonia, using an essential, everyday object of consumption: food. As a crucial element of Catalan cultural life, a focus on food provides unique insight into the lived realities of Catalan nationalism, and how Catalans experience and express their national identity today.

The author provides a model useful to others interested in the intersectionality of nation, region, and food. Overall, the book is of great value to Iberian scholars but also provides interesting food for thought for those interested in any related field. Food, Culture and Society

…a fascinating and mostiy well-written study of Catalan gastro-nationalism…There are parts of Nourishing theNation which are likely to appeal primarily to the academic anthropologist but most of this diligently and intelligently researched book with also intrigue those interested in Catalonia’s long, fraught and so far unsuccessful bid to become an independent nation. The Critic

This is an extremely interesting overview of Catalan food and its place as a symbol and signifier of Catalan nationalism as well as of how food has helped maintain Catalan national identity. In addition, it makes your mouth water as you start to search for the nearest Catalan restaurant to test some of the dishes described. Strongly recommended. Gabriel Stein on Amazon.com

This is an excellent piece of work on Catalan gastronationalism as lived reality. It is written well and very readable – not a dry academic monograph but a vivid depiction of how people live ‘food’ in today’s Catalonia. Atsuko Ichijo, Kingston University