Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization

Every civilization has specific social-cultural rituals for eating, and contemporary Japan is a particularly interesting case. The architects of the Japanese food policy use a special respect for food in two ways: first, as a tool of soft power to spread Japanese influence worldwide; second, as an e...

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Main Authors: S V Chugrov, A V Malov
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Peoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University) 2019-12-01
Series:RUDN journal of Sociology
Subjects:
Online Access:http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22090/17333
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author S V Chugrov
A V Malov
author_facet S V Chugrov
A V Malov
author_sort S V Chugrov
collection DOAJ
description Every civilization has specific social-cultural rituals for eating, and contemporary Japan is a particularly interesting case. The architects of the Japanese food policy use a special respect for food in two ways: first, as a tool of soft power to spread Japanese influence worldwide; second, as an effective way to ensure food security. It is the second component that interests the authors. The article identifies key issues of Japan’s food policy. Based on the institutional analysis and the food regime theory, the authors identify the structural nature of food import dependency of the Land of the Rising Sun. The combination of the comparative approach and retrospective analysis allowed to discover a number of elements that are closely connected with the idea of food sovereignty, especially the concept of shokuiku (food education). Based on the historical-genetic method, the authors suggest a cognitive route of the terminological unit “from the component of folklore to the legislative act” and identify structural-functional features of the Basic Law ( Shokuiku Kihon-ho ). The analysis of three Basic Plans for promotion of Shokuiku proved the institutional reorientation of Japan to collectivism, healthy lifestyle and dietetics of younger generations. Despite the fact that effectiveness of re-profiling was verified by empirical data, the article provides a critical analysis of shokuiku as well. The state monopoly on food knowledge and risk discourse legitimize ideologies, generate alarmist feelings and lead to food nationalism.
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spelling doaj.art-a0e0f205b47e48c0b939cc2aa24756682022-12-22T01:03:09ZengPeoples’ Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University)RUDN journal of Sociology2313-22722408-88972019-12-0119466567710.22363/2313-2272-2019-19-4-665-67718005Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonizationS V Chugrov0A V Malov1Moscow State Institute of International Relations (University)Lomonosov Moscow State UniversityEvery civilization has specific social-cultural rituals for eating, and contemporary Japan is a particularly interesting case. The architects of the Japanese food policy use a special respect for food in two ways: first, as a tool of soft power to spread Japanese influence worldwide; second, as an effective way to ensure food security. It is the second component that interests the authors. The article identifies key issues of Japan’s food policy. Based on the institutional analysis and the food regime theory, the authors identify the structural nature of food import dependency of the Land of the Rising Sun. The combination of the comparative approach and retrospective analysis allowed to discover a number of elements that are closely connected with the idea of food sovereignty, especially the concept of shokuiku (food education). Based on the historical-genetic method, the authors suggest a cognitive route of the terminological unit “from the component of folklore to the legislative act” and identify structural-functional features of the Basic Law ( Shokuiku Kihon-ho ). The analysis of three Basic Plans for promotion of Shokuiku proved the institutional reorientation of Japan to collectivism, healthy lifestyle and dietetics of younger generations. Despite the fact that effectiveness of re-profiling was verified by empirical data, the article provides a critical analysis of shokuiku as well. The state monopoly on food knowledge and risk discourse legitimize ideologies, generate alarmist feelings and lead to food nationalism.http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22090/17333japanfood educationshokuikufood sovereigntyfood regimefood securityglobalization
spellingShingle S V Chugrov
A V Malov
Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
RUDN journal of Sociology
japan
food education
shokuiku
food sovereignty
food regime
food security
globalization
title Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
title_full Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
title_fullStr Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
title_full_unstemmed Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
title_short Food sovereignty and education: A Japanese type of harmonization
title_sort food sovereignty and education a japanese type of harmonization
topic japan
food education
shokuiku
food sovereignty
food regime
food security
globalization
url http://journals.rudn.ru/sociology/article/viewFile/22090/17333
work_keys_str_mv AT svchugrov foodsovereigntyandeducationajapanesetypeofharmonization
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