Abstract
The choice of food practices can be influenced by one's identity in many societies, but has mostly been evaluated in light of the maintenance of cultural identity in migrant populations. This study focused on understanding the influence of identity on food practices among individuals in multicultural societies. We conducted 18 focus group discussions (n = 130) among Indian, Chinese and Malay women in Singapore. Focus group transcripts were analysed using Thematic Analysis both inductively and deductively. Deductive analysis was framed within a Social Representations Approach, a social psychological theory that allows a deeper understanding of the contextual aspects of identity. Participants highlighted the central position of food in social events, cultural celebrations, and persistent traditional beliefs about health (such as ‘hot-cold balance’). These beliefs extended to the perception of certain traditional foods possessing medicinal properties. Importantly, the consumption of these traditional foods was accepted as necessary for the maintenance of health by the women. We propose that while cultural food practices are integral to identity preservation and identity continuity for Singaporean women from all three racial groups, this is different to other multicultural societies such as Canada where communities preserve their cultural food practices, in part, due to fear of cultural identity loss. In addition, cross-cultural food practices are readily adopted in participants' daily lives for a number of reasons such as the promotion of health, convenience, and variety. At times, this adoption blurred boundaries between different cultural cuisines. Food practices in multicultural societies like Singapore are thus a reflection of everyday multiculturalism, multicultural social policies, and attitudes towards traditional healthful food practices, and these aspects need to be considered in the development of public health policies and interventions.
Highlights
Culture, race, and ethnicity are intricately connected, important social identities in the study of food and food practices because they allow researchers to understand the complex ways that individuals make decisions about food choice
We propose that while cultural food practices are integral to identity preservation and identity continuity for Singaporean women from all three racial groups, this is different to other multicultural societies such as Canada where communities preserve their cultural food practices, in part, due to fear of cultural identity loss
We found that participants' own cultural food practices were integral to their identities
Summary
Race, and ethnicity are intricately connected, important social identities in the study of food and food practices because they allow researchers to understand the complex ways that individuals make decisions about food choice. What is perhaps less studied is the maintenance of cultural food practices and the sharing of cross-cultural food practices by different cultural, racial, and ethnic groups within multicultural societies. Social identities, as both a process and an embodiment of personal characteristics, hold different meanings for individuals as they make sense of their social worlds. Free listing – Participants are provided with different images related to food and asked to pen their one word/ Moderator to set the tone for interaction in the group.
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