Jesse Floyd Mack Lecture: Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado, "The Taco: Modern Beyond Authentic"

Ignacio M. Sánchez Prado (Emerson Hinchliff Professor, Cornell University) will talk about his book, Taco (2026). Moving beyond traditional debates over culinary authenticity, Professor Sánchez Prado explores how the taco evolved from a Mexican working-class staple into a global modern social touchstone. Drawing on a narrative that spans Mexico City, Los Angeles, Berlin, and Seoul, he will consider how geography, history, and transcultural transformation have shaped the taco as a central icon of contemporary culture.