Authentic, Speedy and Hybrid

Abstract

This article uses Chinese food as a prism to analyze the process of globalization in Israeli culture since the 1970s. We describe three distinct eras in the evolution of culinary globalization within Israel: first, the appearance of a variety of foods and tastes perceived as representations of “other” nations; second, the commodification of these foods and tastes and their distribution via fast-food chains as mass consumption items (i.e. “McDonaldization”); and third, the creation of a cosmopolitan eating experience. The article also posits that the common perception of globalization in Israel as solely “Americanization” is flawed, as globalization also takes the form of an ethnic-national and a hybrid-cosmopolitan representation. Finally, our third argument indicates that Chinese food serves as a symbolic marker in the sphere of social stratification. In each of its mutations, Chinese food has operated as a token of status distinction. In the first era, Chinese food served to differentiate the emergent affluent class; in the second, it became inexpensive and commonplace, and hence lost its differentiating quality; and in its third, Chinese food reacquired upper-class associations when it became identified with fine cosmopolitan taste.

Keywords:

• Chinese food
• staged authenticity
• Americanization
• globalization
• hybridization
• McDonaldization
• culinary culture

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Rafi Grosglik

Rafi Grosglik is a PhD candidate at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. He holds a master's degree in sociology and anthropology. Since 2008, he has been researching the cultural field of organic food in Israel. His dissertation deals with the cultural globalization and sociology of Israeli culinary culture. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel ([email protected]).

Uri Ram

Uri Ram is a professor of sociology at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, and former Chair of its Department of Sociology and Anthropology. He gained his PhD from the New School for Social Research. He is a co-founder and a board member of the Adva Center for the Study of Inequality, and has been the Head of the Humphrey Institute for Social Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev. Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel ([email protected]).