Proceedings of the International Conference on Emerging Food Studies: Intersections of Culture, Science and Sustainability (ICEFS 2026)

International Conference on Emerging Food Studies: Intersections of Culture, Science and Sustainability (ICEFS 2026)

📍Jaipur, India🗓️ 9-10 January 2026
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A Plate of Barrenness: Dietary Practices and The Construction of Male Infertility in Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman

Authors
J. Binola1, *, A. Annie Divya Mahisha2
1II. M.A. English, PG & Research Department of English, Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Nagercoil, Tamilnadu, 629004, India
2PG & Research Department of English, Holy Cross College (Autonomous), Nagercoil, Tamilnadu, 629004, India
*Corresponding author. Email: binolajerome21@gmail.com
Corresponding Author
J. Binola
Available Online 30 June 2026.
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-583-6_34How to use a DOI?
Keywords
Dietary plans; Male infertility; Masculinity; Environment
Abstract

Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman portrays fertility in rural Tamil Nadu as a condition shaped not merely by biology but by food practices, ecological rhythms and cultural expectations. This paper examines how dietary habits, seasonal eating patterns and culturally embedded humoral beliefs construct male infertility through the character of Kali. Using an interdisciplinary approach that blends literary analysis, cultural anthropology and medical humanities, the study analyses the effects of curd, palm toddy, coconut toddy, chicken and brinjal on the symbolic and physiological construction of masculinity. The paper argues that Murugan uses food as both a narrative device and a cultural diagnostic, showing how diet, ecology and psychosocial stress intersect to influence reproductive capacity. By foregrounding indigenous medical knowledge systems, the study reveals how the novel reframes infertility as a holistic, culturally mediated condition rather than a purely biological defect.

Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

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Volume Title
Proceedings of the International Conference on Emerging Food Studies: Intersections of Culture, Science and Sustainability (ICEFS 2026)
Series
Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research
Publication Date
30 June 2026
ISBN
978-2-38476-583-6
ISSN
2352-5398
DOI
10.2991/978-2-38476-583-6_34How to use a DOI?
Copyright
© 2026 The Author(s)
Open Access
Open Access This chapter is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/), which permits any noncommercial use, sharing, adaptation, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, as long as you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license and indicate if changes were made.

Cite this article

risenwbib
TY  - CONF
AU  - J. Binola
AU  - A. Annie Divya Mahisha
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/06/30
TI  - A Plate of Barrenness: Dietary Practices and The Construction of Male Infertility in Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman
BT  - Proceedings of the International Conference on Emerging Food Studies: Intersections of Culture, Science and Sustainability (ICEFS 2026)
PB  - Atlantis Press
SP  - 389
EP  - 404
SN  - 2352-5398
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2991/978-2-38476-583-6_34
DO  - 10.2991/978-2-38476-583-6_34
ID  - Binola2026
ER  -