Ethnological study: Conceptual framing of modern food culture.
Jón Þór Pétursson, Faculty of Social and Human Sciences, University of Iceland
Modern food culture was the subject of this master's thesis. One aim of the thesis was to account for how individuals create meaning out of their everyday food consumption. During the course of the research, using a qualitative approach, the conceptual frame began to shape in form of "nature", "tradition" and "place". These concepts were formulated through the 14 interviews that were taken during the research period. In the thesis I analyzed a modern counter-world created through the act of growing vegetables, home-made food and personal relations to counter the rootless modern times. Part of the research was to study the relationship between the global and the local in connection to food production and consumption. To explore and explain how Icelanders cope within controversial food ideas of modern times was therefore the major subject of the thesis.
Context is constantly created in the practice of everyday culture. This context is then influenced by social, historical, economic, and political factors of individuals and groups. In everyday food culture one can find ideas which point beyond the biological necessity, cultural factors that influence what we eat, how we eat and when we eat. It has shown itself that despite scientific evidence and good intentions, consumers do not always make the healthiest food choices. Health is only one of many concerns negotiated when choosing a food item. This study accounted for various ways of thinking about food and what influences everyday food culture.
An ongoing project is underway to map more closely food culture in the western part of Iceland with special emphasis on food production and consumption, including that of domestic grain production.