Taste of Progress

World exhibitions have been widely acknowledged as important sources for understanding the development of the modern consumer and urbanized society yet whilst the function and purpose of architecture at these major events has been well-studied the place of food has received very little attention. Food stood as a powerful semiotic device for communicating and maintaining conceptions of identity history traditions and progress of inclusion and exclusion making it a valuable tool for researching the construction of national or corporate sentiments. Combining recent developments in food studies and the history of major international exhibitions this volume provides a refreshing alternative view of these international and intercultural spectacles.