Banal Nationalism and UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage List: Cases of Washoku and the Gastronomic Meal of the French

Abstract

The chapter examines the analytical scope of the banal nationalism perspective by applying it to the level of international governance focusing on the inclusion of food culture/cuisine in UNSESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list. Through an examination of the world heritage regime in general and two examples of inscription in the list, washoku of Japan and the gastronomic meal of the French in particular, the chapter shows that banal nationalism is at work even at the international/global level and contributes to the reinforcement of the nation state system thanks to a variety of factors: the contradictory status of UNESCO as the promoter of the universal values through the protection of the particular, the emerging human rights discourse and the entrenchment of romanticism-inspired cult of authenticity.

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