FOODCOURT MULTICULTURALISM

(FOOD.cort mul.tee.KUL.chur.uh.liz.um)

n.

The practice of enjoying the attributes of several cultures other than one's own in a superficial and temporary way. Also: food-court multiculturalism.

Cultural conservatives have never really understood diversity, preferring to equate it with a superficial food-court multiculturalism and with the apparatus of coercion: affirmative action, political correctness and lawsuits, lawsuits, lawsuits.

— Philip Gold, "New tactics needed for cultural wars," The Washington Post, March 8, 2002

When multiculturalism means more than the (literal) wearing of different hats, or the assortment of fast food options available at the food court in a suburban mall, accommodating diversity becomes far more complicated.(5)...

(5) What I call the "food court multiculturalism" resembles Fish's

discussion of "boutique multiculturalism."

— Alyson Cole, "The Empowered Self: Law and Society in the Age of Individualism (Review)," Michigan Law Review, May 1, 2001

Thanks to Patrick Kalaher for suggesting this phrase.

bubble tea

diversity fatigue

dumb up

emotional correctness

ethnoburb

molecular gastronomy

racial battle fatigue

theme dormitory

transnational suburb

Food and Drink