ABSTRACT
This chapter looks at food and emotion, cultural rites, religious cosmology relating to food, and the impact of culture on social identity and child-rearing. Independence is one of the most cherished ideals in the Western cultures, and it permeates all aspects of life, including parenting and psychotherapy. Culture influences virtually all aspects of human behaviour and practices and perhaps none more so than food and feeding habits. An informant about Iraqi children's feeding said, often children from poorer classes are better fed. To make sense of the child-rearing practices in the Indian culture, it is useful to look at its ideological history. The honouring of elders upholds the patriarchy of Nigerian society and privileges men, and men are often given the preferred portions of food at feasts and festivals, and in general run of life. Orthodox Ethiopians follow Biblical food beliefs, similar to those of Muslims and Jews, for instance, they do not eat pork.
