黑料正能量

Gastro-Constitutionalism: The Role of Food in Constructing Constitutional Norms (Mathilde Cohen, UConn)

ABSTRACT
This presentation proposes the concept of "gastro-constitutionalism" (and more broadly of "gastro-legalism") to articulate the role of food in constructing constitutional norms and, reciprocally, the role of law in shaping eating practices. Far from marginal, the issue of what we eat, how our food is produced, by whom, and whether it is sustainable are defining features of our time. In an era marked by ecological crisis, social fragmentation, and rising authoritarianism, gastro-constitutionalism offers a framework for thinking about the role of law鈥攕tarting from the belly. First, it introduces the concept to address a central question of the Anthropocene: how can we feed ourselves justly and sustainably while preserving the democratic values embedded in Constitutions? Second, it investigates the role of alimentary beliefs and practices in the establishment of constitutional principles that in turn impact the food system and its sustainability. The argument builds upon the sociological literature on the related notions of "gastro-politics," "gastro-nationalism," and "gastro-diplomacy." These ideas have been offered to conceptualize the use of food to advance ideas about what defines a community and who belongs or does not belong to it. Indeed, eating is an essential activity all humans must engage in on a daily basis, but it is also a powerful ideological practice that grounds social interactions, policies, and conflicts. My project centers on the interaction between eating and Constitutions, drawing on examples from various socio-legal contexts, but primarily drawn from France and the United States.

BIO
Mathilde Cohen is the George Williamson Crawford Professor of Law at the University of Connecticut (on leave) and currently a fellow at Centre de th茅orie et analyse du droit (CNRS). Her research focuses on understudied, embodied phenomena such as eating and lactation as well as processes of judicial decision-making. Her published works examine these topics at the intersection of constitutional law and the social sciences.