Brazilian Abundance and U.S. Scarcity: New Directions for Research in the Field of Food History

Abstract

| This article explores similarities and differences between cultural representations of food abundance and scarcity in Brazil and the United States from the 1930s to the beginning of the 2000s. It traces social developments in both countries, particularly during the Second World War and the ensuing decades. In addition, theories exploring the issue of hunger and access to food in Brazil and the United States, both economically and politically, are discussed. This objective is achieved by reviewing classic U.S. American authors, such as historian David M. Potter, as well as more contemporary scholars who have approached the theme of abundance and scarcity in the U.S. In the context of Brazil, great emphasis is placed on physician and scholar Josué de Castro, one of the most important authors on the subject. The article concludes by proposing new research directions for greater and more in-depth investigations in the field of food studies.