Commodity racism, cultural appropriation, and the perpetuation of oppressive food discourse

The social, cultural and economic value of food often reflects the value that society places on a particular culture or group of people. Food discourse reflects these values and frequently perpetuates racist, exploitative and oppressive stereotypes. Cultural appropriation occurs when a dominant group seeks to use and profit by the knowledge of a nondominant or marginalized group. In the United States, this occurs, for example, when white chefs act as the discoverers and educators of "ethnic" or non-white cuisines. This thesis introduces critical academic theories on race and appropriation which are then used as a framework to examine both historical and contemporary examples of racist food discourse. These examples provide insight into the ways in which racist discourse is perpetuated and tolerated as well as pathways to potential solutions, which include the creation of new terms to label racism and appropriation as well as the need for a more robust and public discussion of these issues.