On the sociality of meals : beyond commensality

• As with all concepts in social theory, commensality is based on a set of basic assumptions deriving from its intellectual origins. In this presentation, I outline what I find to be the basic assumptions of commensality as well as its origins and some different ways of understanding its social functions. Following this, I outline some contemporary studies that also mention cooking as a sociable activity in and of itself. I then discuss meal sociality in a broader sense, moving beyond commensality and suggesting a potential to remain focused on social functions of meals while not being limited to the act of eating.

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