Gastronomic Issues And Perspectives In Globalization

Homogenization and its Impact on Our Culture

Discuss about the Gastronomic Issues and Perspectives.

Globalization is a process in which there is increased global connectivity and integration between the states-nations, individuals-households, corporations and organizations. It is the increased interdependence in the social, economic, cultural, technological, ecological and political spheres. Due to an interchange of ideas, views, products and aspects of culture, the international integration process is taking place. Homogenization and heterogenization are the two aspects of cultural globalization that have transformed the food production and consumption (Beck 2015).

Homogenization is an aspect of globalization that involves the mixing of different cultural practices blended into one uniform cultural practice that does not allow the easy characterization of the different cultures (van den Broek 2015). It is the intermingling and interaction of the people’s cultures in such a manner that there is no identification of an individual culture due to merging into one single culture. A single culture is assimilated and there is a breakdown of the cultural barriers as a result of homogenization. It has a great impact on our culture and national identity overpowered by global industries and multinational organizations. Due to mixing of different cultures, people lose their own cultural identity and recognize and adopt others elements (Pieterse 2015). The things are getting standardized due to globalization and everything is same everywhere. For example, the brands like Mc Donald’s, Coca-Cola, and Starbucks and Pizza Hut are popular food icons that are found everywhere and they are acting as universal solvents dissolving the homogenous food cultures into one common culture throughout the world. This is cultural homogenization where people are moving towards one culture homogeneity and losing their own culture.

Due to the advent of globalization, the homogenization is taking place. Every country has their own culture and that makes a nation unique and different from other countries. However, due to homogenization, is establishing a single powerful culture-flattening a nation’s own cultural diversity especially of the developing countries. The introduction of Westernized cultures in terms of eating, living and working habits have made the US culture as the supreme power termed as modernization or Americanization that are posing a threat to the notion of development of a nation. The homogenization of the global diet is resulting in the loss of unique crops and indigenous delicacies (Benyon and Dunkerley 2014). 

Macdonalization is a popular term used by sociologist George Ritzer who explained the characteristics of a fast-food restaurant and the manifestations of a society while adopting these characteristics. It is the set of principles adopted by a fast food restaurant dominating the American society and other nations as a whole (Grace and Palmer 2015). The efficiency, calculability, predictability and control are the four principles that a fast food industry adopts. When a country adopts Macdonalization, it changes the consumer patterns and cultural hybridization takes place. The efficiency is explained in terms of minimization of time from a customer’s perspective from being hungry to getting full. Calculability is explained in terms of quantification. Macdonalization has developed the notion that a large amount of product should be delivered to the customer in a short span of time and should equalize a product of high quality. Predictability in McDonaldized organization is the delivery of same quality and services of the products to the customers irrespective of the location. The fourth principle is the control that has uniform and standardized employees and replaced by non-human technologies (Soron 2013).

Macdonalization and its Effects on Society

The standardized menus of McDonalds are served with great quality, great tasting and keeping in mind the considerations and needs of the customers who are choosing eatables outside their homes. They serve burgers, chicken sandwiches, salads, side snacks like fries, desserts, drinks like shakes and coffees. They serve quality foods with no preservatives, additives or fillers. The foods served are high in calories and protein content. Similarly, Starbucks deliver foods and drinks like coffee, bakery items, sandwiches, yoghurts, burgers and items with grilled cheese. Pizza Hut delivers pizzas, garlic bread, pasta, drinks and desserts. Macdonalization has both positive and negative effects on the society. People can get food instantly and there is an availability of services at large proportions. There is uniform quality and people can enjoy food and services even in the middle of the night. It has negative impacts like dehumanization, environmental and health hazards, irrationality of rationality, low wages to the workers and have negative effects on the health due to consumption of fast foods (Dustin 2016).

Disneyfication is the internationalization of US mass cultural entertainment values. It is the bigger, better and faster entertainment with a uniformity worldwide. The Walt Disney World, Disneyland Paris, Hong Kong Disneyland offers entertainment and is transforming the society into theme parks that resemble Walt Disney Corporation. The aspects of Disneyfication includes the theming, hybrid consumption, merchandising and performative labor (Matusitz and Palermo 2014). The theming is related to the infusion of a place or object with a particular idea. The introduction of multiple consumer opportunities in a location is called hybrid-consumption. The promotion of services or goods with objects that bear promotion with logos or images is merchandising. It is the imaginary presentation that makes people believe that rest is real depicted in theme parks of Disneyland. People find Disney films as a form of entertainment and a way to alleviate boredom. People are cut from anxieties and stress of life and the theme parks have become a dominant model for consumerism and escapism (Benedict, M.A. and McMahon 2014).

Cultural heterogenization in globalization is another aspect where there is dissemination of region culture and being accepted by other cultures and societies and enhances the cultural diversity of local society (Pfau, Kirley and Kashima 2013). There is interaction of different cultures influencing each other to form new cultural settings and change cultural forms while moving through time and space. It is the process of global cultural adaptation to local cultures defining cultural heterogenization. There are various manifestations of heterogenization in our daily life. The introduction of hybrid cultures like popularization of prominent icons like Starbucks, McDonalds’s, Puma, and Walmart among people shows the incorporation of western culture in our life. The African and Eastern beats incorporation in American rap, use of Indian curry in English recipes and popularity of Buddhism in modern psychology are some of the examples of cultural heterogenization prevailing due to globalization. It is an ambivalent process in which there is emerging of discrete cultural, national or civilization blocks occurring at the same time and spurred on by global flows (Chen and Ritzer 2015).

Disneyfication as a Cultural Phenomenon

Heterogenization occurs in order to preserve the indigenous cultures and regional sentiments of a country.  It is called Slow Food movement which is a promotion to reduce fast food consumption to preserve the regional and traditional cuisine. It also strives to encourage the farming and livestock of the local ecosystem (Lindholm and Lie 2013). For example, McDonalds in India adopted the slow food movement as they serve chicken and fish burgers as in Indian culture, cow is regarded sacred and so there is no selling of burgers filled with beef. The Mc Donald’s in Hong Kong serve Mac rice burgers in order to preserve the local culinary of Chinese rice dishes. It is an inexpensive and quick meal served in Hong Kong style rice dishes in order to preserve the traditional culinary and introduce heterogenization.

Globalization cannot be stopped but in order to save our traditional culture we have to introduce the local culinary in our standardized foods. The homogenization has led to the failure to recognize our own cultural diversity and become modernized by adopting western culture. However, in the face of globalization, people should construct their own identities and help to defend the concept of homogenization and strive for the survival of local cultures. Macdonalization and Disneyfication also impose threats to the notions of a culture. Therefore, we have to adopt the good aspects of the globalization and should develop a sense of preserving the indigenous culture and eliminating the deleterious influences by introducing concepts of heterogeneity and slow food movement.

Culinary tourism defined as the uniqueness in terms of memorable eating and drinking experiences. When the edible experiences are combined with travel, culinary tourism is introduced that provides the locals and tourists an authentic taste of food of that place. It is the exploration of the food through tourism (Long 2015). The culinary tourism is now a vital component along with the scenery, accommodation and climate that are important for the tourists. Gastronomy is the study of the food and culture relationship, the art of preparing and serving the delicate, rich and appetizing food (Cambourne et al. 2003). The culinary tourism also influences gastronomy as the style of cooking of a particular region and the art of good food eating attracts tourists to a particular place.

The Slow Food Movement is one of the major driving forces that attract food tourism. It has major principles that envision the world in which people should have access and enjoy good food. It also aims to provide foods that are good for people, good for production and also good for the planet (Petrini 2013). Moreover, there are three interconnected principles of Slow Food Movement that defines their approach. The concept of Good, Clean and Fair is the philosophy of the Slow Food Movement. The healthy, flavored and quality food defines the concept of Good. The Clean is defined by the production of the food that is not harmful to the people who grow them as well as for the environment. The accessible prices for the customers, fair conditions for the producers to pay define the concept of Fair.

Cultural Heterogenization and Slow Food Movement

The Slow Food Movement helps people to enjoy meat that is grass fed, free-range poultry, abstaining processed foods, preparation of natural ingredients from the scratch, raising own crops and creating awareness among the people about the food sources (Adams, Burke and Whitmarsh 2014). It also encourages people to support and follow the principles of Slow Food Movement. The concept of slow food is considered as a quiet revolution that helped to change the attitude of American food. The organization has helped to gather presence in the food worlds at international level and bringing people together from across the globe to share their common passion for food (Pookulangara and Shephard 2013). The experiences of food and wine in tourism are vital and are increasing being noticed as the prime motivators in travelling for tourists. They are the integral parts of tourism and are a major part for analysis. The introduction of food in tourism is an important instrument that promotes regional development and enhances visitor experience. The food and wine also encourage new visitors and increases the destination appeal.

The gastronomy is an important aspect of tourism that helps to draw people to visit and experience the food and place. The type of foods, eating habits, style of cooking, trends in food consumption helps to attract tourists in a particular place enhancing the economy of that particular place. The gastronomy in tourism links the regional and local economies and as a result helps to enrich the rural economics, regenerate the local identity and re-value the natural tradition and heritage (Hall and Sharples 2003). Moreover, gastronomy with tourism is an important tool and strategy adopted by a region for the development of tourism and increase chances of development. The hospitality sector benefits and contributes to the growth of this sector along with increasing job opportunities. The gastronomic tourism is also beneficial in improving the local economic framework by promoting the locally made raw material producers an in supporting the sustainable and strong food and agricultural industry that can compete globally (Diaconescu, Moraru and St?nciulescu 2016).

The food culture includes the art of cooking food, the local cuisine, traditions and beliefs in developing food. The food culture is dependent on the traditions and beliefs of the country or nation. The food culture also depicted in the activities like food festivals, food expo and other festivals celebrating the food culture of that particular region (Hall 2013). For example, Hong Kong organizes food festival every year like wine and dine festival and the celebrity chef’s cooking shows that helps to promote the indigenous flavors and ingredients of a  particular place. The tourists get attracted to the local food, their ingredients like the kinds of herbs and spices giving them unique and new experiences. In the process of doing this, the local cultures are being highlighted and marketed attracting a pool of tourists. Gastronomic tourism has now become an indispensable element that helps to know the lifestyle and culture of a particular region (Björk and Kauppinen-Räisänen 2014). Therefore, the trends of gastronomic tourism advocate the tradition, culture and food lifestyles of a region.

Long 2004 first coined the term “culinary tourism” that defines the experiences of different cultures through the food and wine. The gastronomic tourism comprises of travelling and enjoying food and drinks and share memorable and unique memorable gastronomic experiences. The culinary tourism includes any travelling experience of a person in terms of appreciating and enjoying the local cuisine and drink that reflects the culture and heritage of that place. It is about the authentic, uniqueness and memorable experiences of food and local delicacies. The gastronomic tourism helps to regenerate and re-value the local traditions and food cultures that have lost its importance during the course of time. Moreover, it also helps to enhance the economy of that particular place. It also includes the local farmers, local drinks, and the traditions and beliefs in making the food. Therefore, combining food with tourism is an important tool in developing the food and economy of a particular region.

References

Adams, V., Burke, N.J. and Whitmarsh, I., 2014. Slow research: Thoughts for a movement in global health. Medical Anthropology, 33(3), pp.179-197.

Beck, U., 2015. What is globalization?. John Wiley & Sons.

Benedict, M.A. and McMahon, E.T., 2014. From Parks to Green Infrastructures. The Leisure Commons: A Spatial History of Web 2.0, p.165.

Benyon, J. and Dunkerley, D., 2014. Globalization: the reader. Routledge.

Björk, P. and Kauppinen-Räisänen, H., 2014. Culinary-gastronomic tourism–a search for local food experiences. Nutrition & Food Science, 44(4), pp.294-309.

Cambourne, B., Mitchell, R., Hall, C.M., Sharples, L. and Macionis, N., 2003. Food tourism around the world: Development, management and markets. Elsevier Ltd.

Chen, C.C. and Ritzer, G., 2015. Globalization and Consumption. The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Consumption and Consumer Studies.

Diaconescu, D.M., Moraru, R. and St?nciulescu, G., 2016. Considerations on gastronomic tourism as a component of sustainable local development. Amfiteatru Economic, (Special 10).

Dustin, D., 2016. The McDonaldization of social work. Routledge.

Grace, A.R. and Palmer, J.E., 2015. The Homogeneity of Society: The Role of Franchising in the Health and Food Sectors. Sociology and Anthropology, 3(12), pp.661-664.

Hall, C.M. and Sharples, L., 2003. The consumption of experiences or the experience of consumption? An introduction to the tourism of taste. Food tourism around the world: Development, management and markets, pp.1-24.

Hall, C.M., 2013. Wine, food, and tourism marketing. Routledge.

Lindholm, C. and Lie, S.B., 2013. You Eat What You Are: Cultivated Taste and the Pursuit of Authenticity in the Slow Food Movement. In Culture of the Slow (pp. 52-70). Palgrave Macmillan UK.

Long, L.M., 2015. Culinary tourism: A folkloristic perspective on eating and otherness. Food and Folklore Reader, p.437.

Matusitz, J. and Palermo, L., 2014. The Disneyfication of the World: A Grobalisation Perspective. Journal of Organisational Transformation & Social Change, 11(2), pp.91-107.

Petrini, C., 2013. Slow food nation: Why our food should be good, clean, and fair. Rizzoli Publications.

Pfau, J., Kirley, M. and Kashima, Y., 2013. The co-evolution of cultures, social network communities, and agent locations in an extension of Axelrod’s model of cultural dissemination. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 392(2), pp.381-391.

Pieterse, J.N., 2015. Globalization and culture: Global mélange. Rowman & Littlefield.

Pookulangara, S. and Shephard, A., 2013. Slow fashion movement: Understanding consumer perceptions—An exploratory study. Journal of retailing and consumer services, 20(2), pp.200-206.

Soron, D.E., 2013. George Ritzer, The McDonaldization of Society. Canadian Journal of Sociology, 38(3), pp.447-449.

van den Broek, L., 2015. Globalization Leads to Homogenization: A Case Study about Authenticity and Globalization in Antwerp (Doctoral dissertation, NHTV Breda University of Applied Sciences).

Xu, Q.I.U., 2014. The Research on the Orientation of Modern World Culture in the Context of Cultural Globalization: Retrospect and Prospect. Journal of Anhui Agricultural University (Social Sciences Edition), 5, p.026.