Agenda
RUG Winter School ’26: Commensality and Cultural Heritage in the Middle East and Its Diasporas
This Winter School revolves on the theme of “commensality”, the prospect of coming together at the same table -or not-, with literal and metaphorical implications for respecting differences among those who share a meal. As a field of growing research in the arena of public health, scholars now connect commensality and sociability to individual and communal well-being. In this Winter School, we propose to use commensality, along with its cultural heritage, as conceptual lenses for the interdisciplinary study of food and associated customs, or foodways, among diverse people in the Middle East and in Middle Eastern diasporas.
Food holds an important position in people’s everyday lives and in the social values of individuals and groups, including communities that identify along religious, national, or ethno-linguistic lines. Among Muslims, Christians, Jews, and others, food remains a source of cultural pride, along with commitments to hospitality and charity. People value foodways and are aware of illustrious culinary traditions that go back centuries and in some cases millennia, starting with ancient innovations in agriculture that benefitted human societies at large. By examining foodways, we gain insights into historical continuities, cultural exchanges, and and social adaptations as people navigate change and forge new communities. At the same time, we will explore exciting new directions in research.
The application deadline is 1 December 2025 for external participants (those not associated with the University of Groningen). For UG participants, the application deadline is 15 December 2025.
Please register HERE.
For more information about this Winter School, see: