On the one hand, mămăligă can be approached as a symbol of Romanian national identity: it has often been discussed in this way, as have other food products from the Balkans and southeastern Europe (e.g. burek, yoghurt, sarmale), using sources like cookery books, folklore and fieldwork. On the other, mămăligă is the product of wider global processes and can enable comparison with other cuisines and economies on a global scale.