In this new research project started in 2024, I propose the concept of “gastro-constitutionalism” to articulate the role of food in shaping constitutional norms and, reciprocally, the role of constitutional norms in shaping agricultural, cooking, and eating practices.

The argument builds upon the social science literature on the related notions of “gastro-politics,” “gastro-nationalism,” “gastro-diplomacy,” and “gastro-nativism.” These ideas have been offered to conceptualize the use of food in politics and culture to advance ideas about what defines a community and who belongs or does not belong to it.

Indeed, eating is an essential activity all humans must engage in on a daily basis, but it is also a powerful ideological practice that grounds social interactions, policies, and conflicts.

My project centers on the interaction between eating and Constitutions, drawing on examples from various socio-legal contexts. I ask what role food and culinary traditions play in the creation and development of constitutional rules and principles—from the emergence of new Constitutions following revolutions caused by food riots to what constitutional judges eat (and where and when).

Conversely, I examine the influence of Constitutions and constitutional decision-making on the food system and people’s access to sustenance. I am also interested in reading Constitutions as cookbooks and recipes and in analyzing food writing as norm-setting prescriptions.