Start Date
29-5-2024 9:45 AM
End Date
29-5-2024 10:00 AM
Description
Rooted in a rich history, with decades of oppressive politics and patriarchal displays of power, Romanian culture is shaped by complex narratives of resistance, endurance, adaptation, and transformation. Gender discourses in traditional Romanian culture portray women as the ideal frontline worker, heroic mother, outstanding housewife and an active member of the community. Expected to sacrifice personal aspirations and lifestyle for the well-being of others, they would almost exclusively be tasked with sourcing, preparing, and serving food for the family. They would be the last to sit at the family dining table - and the last to eat. In contrast, the post-communist, Westernised version of the Romanian woman appears to be embracing of the culture of self, free from imposed patriarchal gender roles. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology, including semi-structured interviews, aimed at identifying changes in, and evolution of, table manners and traditional gender role narratives at the contemporary Romanian dining table. The findings suggest that with regards to rules and rituals in the context of family dinners, Romanian society still maintains a rather conservative, traditional attitude, with clearly defined gender roles. Although less prominent now, the acts of cooking and serving the food are still mostly regarded as exclusively feminine pursuits. However, it's important to acknowledge that these perceptions are changing, as societal attitudes toward gender roles continue to shift, with more individuals challenging traditional norms, and engaging in cooking and domestic duties regardless of gender.
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The Women Eat Last: Traditions, Table Manners, and Gender Narratives at the Romanian Dining Table
Rooted in a rich history, with decades of oppressive politics and patriarchal displays of power, Romanian culture is shaped by complex narratives of resistance, endurance, adaptation, and transformation. Gender discourses in traditional Romanian culture portray women as the ideal frontline worker, heroic mother, outstanding housewife and an active member of the community. Expected to sacrifice personal aspirations and lifestyle for the well-being of others, they would almost exclusively be tasked with sourcing, preparing, and serving food for the family. They would be the last to sit at the family dining table - and the last to eat. In contrast, the post-communist, Westernised version of the Romanian woman appears to be embracing of the culture of self, free from imposed patriarchal gender roles. This study adopts a qualitative research methodology, including semi-structured interviews, aimed at identifying changes in, and evolution of, table manners and traditional gender role narratives at the contemporary Romanian dining table. The findings suggest that with regards to rules and rituals in the context of family dinners, Romanian society still maintains a rather conservative, traditional attitude, with clearly defined gender roles. Although less prominent now, the acts of cooking and serving the food are still mostly regarded as exclusively feminine pursuits. However, it's important to acknowledge that these perceptions are changing, as societal attitudes toward gender roles continue to shift, with more individuals challenging traditional norms, and engaging in cooking and domestic duties regardless of gender.