On commensality

#Tuesday Spotlight with Frédéric Vandenberghe

At this #Tuesday Spotlight Frédéric Vandenberghe invites to continue reflecting on the term and practise of commensality. Commensality refers to the act of eating and drinking together. It is of central importance in all societies, not only at HIAS – Institute of Advanced Studies. Philosophers, sociologists, economists, historians and humanists – they all deal with food and meals, cooking and drinking, sociability and identity, distinction and class, ecology and sustainability.

This ongoing commonly shared exchange among fellows and colleagues during their stay at HIAS is an initiative to explore interdisciplinary what commensality means not only from a historical, political and sociological point of view, but also for each fellow’s practice and discipline. Together the group is working on a Menu for Interdisciplinary Studies on Commensality.

This week is invited Metehan Cömert from the DFG Humanities Centre for Advanced Studies on “Futures of Sustainability” in Hamburg. He presents his research on Islam, conviviality and taxes on alcohol in Turkey. Metehan Cömert is an assistant professor of Public Finance at the Faculty of Political Sciences at Ankara Yıldırım Beyazıt University and currently also CSS fellow at the University of Hamburg. 

Further, Massimo Leone will expand his thoughts on the relation between food and faces.

^{This event is addressed to HIAS fellows and their tandem partners.}