Doctoral Thesis
The (im)possibilities of eating. A kitchen ethnography of refugee women in Perth
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Murdoch University
Abstract
Introduction: Western paradigms and nutritionism privilege a heteronormative approach to food (in)security, reducing this to a matter of nutritional intake. In doing so, they not only dismiss women’s experiences but also establish a normative food system that erases other cultural ways of being. This thesis argues that food (in)security is an intersubjective experience that affects the nutritional, social, and emotional wellbeing of individuals. In the context of refugee resettlement and migration, this thesis proposes the inclusion of cultural food security as a key element to achieve social cohesion and reduce food insecurity.
Objective: To reflect on the intersubjective nature of food (in)security by exploring the various sociocultural conditions behind the food determinants among refugee women living in Perth.
Methods: The study follows a feminist methodology using photovoice and kitchen ethnography to explore refugee women’s relationship with food. Semi-structured interviews with services working with humanitarian entrants complemented the data collection. The information was analysed and coded thematically using cultural phenomenology as the theoretical framework.
Findings: The results from this research reveal that refugee women use cultural knowledge to connect nutrition and food practices to the social, collective, and mental wellbeing, which are embodied by the concept of cultural food security. While barriers reported around food security, are aligned with those identified during the resettlement process, refugee women draw on social capital to expand their network and access resources to navigate food insecurity. The findings reveal that service providers and food-relief services are not equipped to respond to the cultural needs of refugee populations, with refugee women having to navigate a food system dominated by Western notions of healthy eating.
Discussion: Nutritionism and Western paradigms shape the social and emotional wellbeing effects of food (in)security on refugee women in Perth. The findings from the study contest these hegemonic paradigms to illustrate that access to cultural food is imperative for the social cohesion and wellbeing of refugee women in Perth because it can ease their post-migration experiences settling into a new location.
Details
- Title
- The (im)possibilities of eating. A kitchen ethnography of refugee women in Perth
- Authors/Creators
- Tilsa Guima Chinen
- Contributors
- Rochelle Spencer (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Indo-Pacific Research CentreYvonne Haigh (Supervisor) - Murdoch University, Centre for Water, Energy and Waste
- Awarding Institution
- Murdoch University; Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
- Identifiers
- 991005707254707891
- Murdoch Affiliation
- Murdoch University
- Resource Type
- Doctoral Thesis
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