Date of Award

Spring 2024

Document Type

Thesis

Terms of Use

© 2024 Khaliun Enkhbayar. All rights reserved. This work is freely available courtesy of the author. It may only be used for non-commercial, educational, and research purposes. For all other uses, including reproduction and distribution, please contact the copyright holder.

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Sociology & Anthropology Department

First Advisor

Christy Schuetze

Abstract

There is a saying among Mongolians that Mongolia was built on the four hoofs of livestock. Following this sentiment, Mongolians take pride in being raised on "meat and milk." My thesis explores the multifaceted role of meat in Mongolia, tracing its significance at the intersection of social connections, gender dynamics, and national identity against the backdrop of rapid socio-economic transformations over the past century.

In my research project, I followed a thread of changes that Mongolians have come to accept as their everyday reality. The past 100 years have been characterized by a widespread shift from a nomadic to a sedentary urban way of life. Mongolia, as a nation, has gone through a massive transition to a market economy in the past three decades, after being a satellite to the USSR for nearly 70 years. This study aims to examine the contemporary role of meat in shaping national identity and the expression of masculinity among men from different age groups and backgrounds. By conducting interviews with five men from rural and urban backgrounds, as well as one herder woman, I uncover how post-socialist urbanization has removed many men from the very core of performing their masculinity - nomadic lifestyle and nomadic meat consumption.

A key dimension of this study revolves around a comprehensive analysis of the changing paradigms of meat and masculinity in Mongolia, weaving historical legacies with contemporary socio-cultural shifts. Through a multifaceted methodology, I aim to shed light on the intricate interplay between meat, identity, and gender within the nation's evolving landscape.

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