From Sweetness to McDonald’s: How Do We Manufacture (the Meaning of) Foods?

Fine, Ben

Abstract

Taking Marx’s theory of commodity production as point of departure, this article examines the ways in which the values and the use values of consumption are constructed in and of themselves and in relation to one another. It does so by positing what is termed the system of provision (sop) approach. This traces consumption through to its origins in production along relations, structures and processes peculiar to specific commodities. The material practices involved have their counterpart in the specific cultural systems attached to commodities. Such cultural systems are deemed to be Contextual, Construed, Chaotic, Constructed, Contradictory and Conflictual. The arguments are illustrated by reference to McDonald’s.

Citation

Fine, B. (2007). From Sweetness to McDonald’s: How Do We Manufacture (the Meaning of) Foods?. The Review of Social and Economic Studies = 사회경제평론 = Sahoe kyŏngje p'yŏngnon, 29(2), 247-271

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 1, 2007
• Publication Date: Nov 1, 2007
• Deposit Date: Oct 22, 2016
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 13, 2025
• Print ISSN: 1229-0092
• Electronic ISSN: 2733-8509
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 29
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 247-271
• Keywords: Consumption, Food, Political Economy, Material Culture