Feasts conjures up images of sybaritic self-indulgence or luxurious lavish opulence and frivolity. Anthropological studies have shown that feasts are powerful engines of cultural change. Largely seen as an event that is wielded as a tool by the elite in historic times, there has been various studies in recent years that links Feasts to political complexity, social structure, inequality, domestication as well as the development of prestige technologies and monumental architecture.

In negotiating the nuances of Feasting, I set my attention towards negotiation in a spatial context, particularly through territorial negotiation in the South China Sea. The South China Sea maritime disputes represent one of the most contentious geopolitical flashpoints in the modern world. The islands and resources situated within the South China Sea have become focal points of regional power struggles and complex territorial claims with several gray zone tactics that seeks to undermine the acceptable global order.

This thesis explores the concept of “feasting” as a foundational tool that has shaped human society throughout history, influencing the organization of labor, resources, time, and relationships. It argues that these elements collectively forge social arrangements, values, economic systems, and temporal experiences. The thesis introduces and examines a modern incarnation termed “Geopolitical Feasting,” particularly as it manifests in the South China Sea. The research aims to speculate on and elucidate the subtleties and semiotics of feasting within the context of the region’s ongoing maritime disputes, offering a novel lens through which to view international relations and territorial contention.