Abstract
The goal of this research is to articulate the cultural survival of migrant Mexican communities in the Midwestern state of Michigan. Through archival research and oral history interviews, the study details how food is used in these communities to retain a sense of cultural identity, nourish connections to Mexican history, and to build spaces of belonging. Additionally, the study articulates the workings of neoliberal philosophy as they play out through the intertwined food systems of the United States and Mexico. It is argued that, as an extension of what some scholars refer to as the “colonial food regime,” neoliberal trade policies have shifted Mexican relationships to land and food. As a result, migrant Mexican people have innovated traditional recipes and agricultural techniques in order to practice cultural continuance.
Presenters
Santos RamosAssistant Professor, School of Interdisciplinary Studies, Grand Valley State University, Michigan, United States
Details
Presentation Type
Theme
KEYWORDS
Mexican, Indigenous, Culture, Mexico, Migration, Neoliberalism