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Table talk : building democracy one meal at a time / Janet A. Flammang.
Van Pelt Library GT2853.U6 F577 2016
By Request
- Format:
- Book
- Author/Creator:
- Flammang, Janet A.
- Language:
- English
- Subjects (All):
- United States--Social life and customs.
- United States.
- Manners and customs.
- Food habits--United States--History.
- Food habits.
- History.
- Civil society--United States.
- Civil society.
- Genre:
- History.
- Physical Description:
- 260 pages : illustrations ; 23 cm
- Place of Publication:
- Urbana, Illinois : University of Illinois Press, 2016.
- Summary:
- Etiquette books insist that we never discuss politics during a meal. Janet A. Flammang offers a polite rebuttal, presenting vivid accounts of people's lives at the table to show how mealtimes teach us the conversational give-and-take at the heart of our democracy. Delving into the ground rules for listening, sharing, and respect, Flammang shows how table activities represent occasions for developing our civil selves. If there are cultural differences over practices-who should speak, what behavior is acceptable, what topics are off limits, how to resolve conflict-our exposure to the making, enforcement, and breaking of these rules offers a daily dose of political awareness and growth. Political table talk also ignites the feelings of respect, trust, and empathy that undergird the idea of a common good that is fundamental to the democratic process. Book jacket.
- Contents:
- Chapter 1 Setting the Table 7
- Table Reservations 7
- Family Table Talk as Language Socialization 14
- Family Table Talk as Hard Work 19
- American Mealtimes 23
- Overworked Americans 25
- Common Tables 29
- Stories and Food 34
- Chapter 2 Conversations and Narratives 38
- Studying Conversations 38
- Learning the Art of Conversation 47
- Table Narratives 53
- Chapter 3 Tables at Home 61
- Domesticity 61
- Kitchen Talk 68
- Family Meals 73
- Generations at the Table 81
- Kids Cooking 88
- Table Manners 95
- Talking about Your Day 101
- Training Tables 105
- Dinner Parties 109
- Express Yourself 116
- Transition Tables 118
- Chapter 4 Tables Away from Home 127
- School Tables 127
- Camp Conversations 132
- College Tables 135
- Religious Tables 139
- Male Tables 144
- Addiction Recovery 147
- Homies Dinners 149
- Military Meals 151
- Chapter 5 Tables and Conflict 156
- Difficult Conversations 156
- Cultural Differences at the Table 162
- Dispute Mediation Tables 167
- Deep Divides at the Table 173
- Cooking for Racial Equality 177
- Conflict Kitchen in Pittsburgh 178
- Chapter 6 Civic Engagement and Diplomacy 185
- Community Building 185
- Adolescent Civic Engagement 190
- Political Discussions 195
- Conversations and Civility 201
- Congresswomen and Civility 206
- State Department Culinary Diplomacy 212
- Presidential Barbecue Diplomacy 215.
- Notes:
- Includes bibliographical references (pages 237-247) and index.
- ISBN:
- 0252040295
- 9780252040290
- 9780252081743
- 0252081749
- OCLC:
- 926062622
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