Scholarship on Chinese foodways has grown at a slow but steady rate over the last few decades, following the publication of two landmark works that outlined the importance of food in Chinese political, cultural, and social organization (Chang, Food in Chinese Culture, 1977; Anderson, The Food of China, 1988). The time is ripe to take stock of research that has augmented the largely anthropological and historical contributions of those earlier works, and work that engages approaches and insights emerging from the new, interdisciplinary “Food Studies.” Scholars across the humanities and social sciences are invited to submit paper proposals on any topic pertaining to the study of food in China. Conference papers will be pre-circulated and the conference will operate as a workshop (works-in-progress are welcome). Each paper will be discussed individually following a brief presentation by the author and discussion by another conference participant.

Confirmed participants, in addition to the members of the Conference Steering Committee, noted below, include Judith Farquhar (University of Chicago) and Francesca Bray (University of Edinburgh), who will be delivering a keynote address. There will also be a special exhibit on artifacts of food in Chinese history at the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art.

Proposals must include a title and an abstract of no more then 250 words and can be submitted electronically to foodwayschina@gmail.com. To receive full consideration proposals should be submitted by August 20. Participants will be notified of their selection by August 30. Limited funding is available to help cover travel and lodging for participants.

Conference Steering Committee:
Ina Asim, University of Oregon
Daniel Buck, University of Oregon
Francoise Sabban, École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (Paris)
Mark Swislocki, New York University Abu Dhabi
Joanna Waley Cohen, New York University

Questions may be addressed to the steering committee at foodwayschina@gmail.com