In the kitchen of the French Children of Immigrants: Foodways and Ethnic Identification. Is There a Unique Recipe?

Gaelle COLAS

Diplomová práce

Abstract:

This thesis explores the link between the food practices and the ethnic identification of the children of immigrants in France. For that, after giving some background on the history and place of immigrants in France, theories of integration, assimilation are explained, bearing in mind that the group addressed is the immigrants. This is done focusing on the notion of acculturation, enculturation and at last ethnic identity. This is the aim of the thesis, to assess the ethnic identification of the French children of immigrants; since this part of the French population has to face some problems of recognition and acceptance as French citizens while they are legally French. To have access to it, food will be used. Food has been used a tool to unveil the reality because this activity is a total social fact influencing the identity of the eater. The question raised in this thesis, knowing if eating French equals feeling French, is answered thanks to a study-case. French children of immigrants have been surveyed, concerning their foodways and their ethnic identification, to establish their food social space. The answer obtained is rather composite and underlines the existence of different food social spaces and relations between food and ethnic identification depending on the individual situations.

Abstract:

This thesis explores the link between the food practices and the ethnic identification of the children of immigrants in France. For that, after giving some background on the history and place of immigrants in France, theories of integration, assimilation are explained, bearing in mind that the group addressed is the immigrants. This is done focusing on the notion of acculturation, enculturation and at last ethnic identity. This is the aim of the thesis, to assess the ethnic identification of the French children of immigrants; since this part of the French population has to face some problems of recognition and acceptance as French citizens while they are legally French. To have access to it, food will be used. Food has been used a tool to unveil the reality because this activity is a total social fact influencing the identity of the eater. The question raised in this thesis, knowing if eating French equals feeling French, is answered thanks to a study-case. French children of immigrants have been surveyed, concerning their foodways and their ethnic identification, to establish their food social space. The answer obtained is rather composite and underlines the existence of different food social spaces and relations between food and ethnic identification depending on the individual situations.

Keywords

Foodways, Food Social Space, Ethnic Identification, Children of Immigrants, France

Jazyk práce: angličtina

Datum vytvoření / odevzdání či podání práce: 20. 5. 2011

Identifikátor: 115949

Obhajoba závěrečné práce

• Vedoucí: Doc. PhDr. Lubor Kysučan, Ph.D.

UNIVERZITA PALACKÉHO V OLOMOUCI

Filozofická fakulta

Magisterský studijní program / obor:
Cultural Studies / Euroculture