Antropologicheskij forum, 2016, no. 31

“FRIED DILL” AND “BABIES’ BLOOD”: ALIMENTARY CODES OF RUSSIAN-UKRAINIAN CONFLICT

Daria Radchenko

Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration
84 Prospect Vernadskogo, Moscow, Russia
Moscow School of Social and Economic Sciences
82/2 Prospect Vernadskogo, Moscow, Russia
darya_radchenko()mail.ru

Abstract: During the Russian-Ukrainian conflict of 2014–2015, the vernacular discourse reactualises traditional models, which suggest that the opponent is breaking norms and prohibitions connected with food taboos — starting from “wrong” ways to prepare dishes common for both sides of the conflict to eating prohibited food and even practising cannibalism. The texts that contain such images of the enemies, place them outside of “human” culture (which is understood by both sides as their own), making any humanitarian gestures towards the enemy impossible. The common information environment makes such texts known to the side that is accused of breaking taboos. The reaction of the latter may vary from verbal ironic appropriation to producing artefacts that absurdise the accusation. Yet, these forms of reaction often reinforce the aggression of the accusation, strengthening the stereotype. The paper investigates different forms of folkloric reaction to media events, provoking reactualisation of traditional alimentary codes.

Keywords: taboo, cannibalism, stereotype, folklore, internet folklore, alimentary codes.

To cite: Radchenko D., '“Zharenyy ukrop” s “krovyu mladentsev”: pishchevye kody rossiysko-ukrainskogo konflikta' [“Fried Dill” and “Babies’ Blood”: Alimentary Codes of Russian-Ukrainian Conflict], Antropologicheskij forum, 2016, no. 31, pp. 209–234.

URL: http://anthropologie.kunstkamera.ru/files/pdf/031/radchenko.pdf