Dietary acculturation in Australia
Explored how personal values have shaped the adaptation of Asian culinary traditions in Australia, highlighting the cultural and dietary shifts influenced by migration and identity.
2022
Role
Project Manager & Researcher
Team
Chantelle Guevara and Arisha Sahay
Duration
Aug 2022- Nov 2022 (3 months)
The background
This study explores the impact of personal value systems on the dietary acculturation of Asian culinary practices in Australia.
Given the challenges faced by Asian ethnic groups in adapting to Australia's diverse cultural landscape, we focus on intergenerational differences between first-generation and second-generation migrants. Drawing upon the dynamics that foster thinking gaps between these groups, we aim to observe how these food attitudes and culinary practices have endured and evolved.
Our research delves into the enduring and evolving food attitudes and culinary practices shaped by exposure to the globalised world, tolerance for cross-cultural practices, and various cultural influences (pop, ethnic and social). Employing a mixed-method research design, our primary method involves engaging our target audience through workshops using the Generative Dialogue Framework to uncover meaningful insights.
As the project manager leading a team of three UX researchers, including myself, I not only crafted our research plan and delegated tasks using a Gantt chart but also ensured seamless execution by overseeing completion and accounting for dependencies, using a Gantt Chart. The team collaborated on crafting materials for Workshops, conducting methods and thematic analysis. This collective effort resulted in each member composing their own Research Discussion Paper, summarising insights from data synthesis.
Beyond the technical aspects, this project struck a personal chord, urging the team to confront personal biases. Each member was encouraged to undertake an ethical engagement task, fostering a deeper understanding of our unique positions within the research landscape. This experience emphasised the vital role of self-awareness in impactful research endeavours.
My contribution
Solution
The seed
We identified a gap in literature on Asian culinary narratives in Australia, shaping our research with Maalouf's prediction of declining traditional meals in immigrant kitchens
White Paper research unveiled a notable gap in the literature on the evolution of Asian culinary narratives in Australia, despite the 2021 Census data highlighting the significant Asian ethnic presence among Australians born overseas (Figure 1, Population, Households and Families, 2021). This dearth of research addressing the seamless integration of Asian minority groups fuelled the drive to understand the complex syntax of acculturation.
Model of the 2021 Census Data adapted from Australian Human Rights Commission's (2021) Model
Immigration prompted a dilution of Asian culinary practices, resulting in a decline in traditional meals in the immigrant kitchen. This shift also caused cross-cultural practices during meal attitudes, creating friction between generations due to nostalgia and deep-rooted patriotism.
Research hypothesis
The team compiled data from literature reviews, extracting three insights that stemmed from knowledge gaps provided valuable directions for future research objectives.
Research objectives
Research questions
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Traditional preparation and consumption of food ritualises belonging to a cultural group or society. In foreign contexts, ethnic groups consciously adopt cultural food preferences to convey familiarity and regain normalcy. However, differences in resource availability can unintentionally lead to disconnection from the host society.
RO1: Explore how these interactions between migrant groups and host nations can either foster connection or lead to estrangement -
Dietary acculturation involves complex dynamics of culinary resistance, adaptation, and adoption. While some resist non-traditional foods to preserve cultural identity, researchers found that involving the fusion of culinary traditions is more prevalent.
RO2: Analyse the nature of decisions surrounding which food preferences are maintained or abandoned, delving into the extent of dietary acculturation. -
Intergenerational shifts in food attitudes among migrants result from environmental and psychosocial factors. This pertains to matters such as food availability, societal customs, individual curiosity, and tolerance. First-generation migrants cherish traditional practices due to 'gastro-nostalgia,' while, second-generation migrants who are more accustomed to living in a globalised world, embrace diverse diets alongside their heritage.
RO3: Identify the value each group places on these cultural food attitudes and culinary practices, to understand how these traditions have or will evolve over time
I devised the following Research Questions based on findings from the white paper investigation and team-generated inquiries, establishing a coherent framework for our primary data collection.
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This question broadens the scope to examine the unintended effects of acculturation on food identity, social cohesion, and cultural continuity. It aims to identify gaps in existing research.
Guiding Sub-Questions:
📌 What unexpected insights or consequences arise from the process of acculturation?
📌 What psychosocial implications emerge from acculturation, and how do they affect individuals and communities over time?
Final Consideration:
Beyond food habits, what larger cultural and societal shifts occur as a result of acculturation? -
This question explores the impact of globalisation on Asian food traditions in Australia. It considers whether first-generation immigrants maintain their culinary heritage or integrate elements from the host culture.
Guiding Sub-Questions:
📌 To what extent does cultural identity shape the food choices of different generations?
📌 How do acculturation-induced changes in food attitudes contribute to intergenerational alignments or conflicts?
Final Consideration:
In a globalised world, how do migrant communities balance preserving traditional food practices with embracing new influences? -
This question investigates how acculturation affects food choices over generations. It looks at whether food practices align across different age groups or become a source of cultural tension.
Guiding Sub-Questions:
📌 In what ways do global trends affect the authenticity of Asian food practices?
📌 How do global food trends influence the evolution of traditional culinary customs?
Final Consideration:
As cultural traditions evolve, does food remain a unifying force between generations, or does it create divisions? -
This question broadens the scope to examine the unintended effects of acculturation on food identity, social cohesion, and cultural continuity. It aims to identify gaps in existing research.
Guiding Sub-Questions:
📌 What unexpected insights or consequences arise from the process of acculturation?
📌 What psychosocial implications emerge from acculturation, and how do they affect individuals and communities over time?
Final Consideration:
Beyond food habits, what larger cultural and societal shifts occur as a result of acculturation?
Triangulation involved gathering data from Online Ethnography, Questionnaires, Workshops, and Post-Interviews. This method confirmed findings, identified patterns, and ensured a thorough understanding of common themes, resulting in a robust and holistic research outcome by balancing the strengths of each method.
Research Triangulation
Early insights from the field
ONLINE ETHNOGRAPHY
Platforms
Reddit, X
Time
3 days
Revealed that cultural plurality has historically been downplayed, while some online users challenge this by associating food with pride and patriotism
I conducted the Online Ethnography on Reddit, while a team member explored X, examining food and meal culture in immigrant families. Findings were categorised for both first and second-generation Asian immigrants, including insights from host countries. The digital environment provided unique access to diverse thoughts and interactions between communities. The early insights were summarised, forming the basis of initial codes.
Initial Codes
Recruiting participants
QUESTIONNAIRE
Responses
22
Time
2 days
The questionnaire was designed to filter participants from the Asian first or second-generation demographic through sensitising questions. This method helped to select workshop participants who met demographic requirements and held a solid understanding of the research goals.
Participants shared in-depth insights on eating practices, challenges, the connection between food and cultural identity, dietary health, well-being, and the balance between cultural preservation and integration into the host culture's food scene. This quick method provided a mix of quantitative and qualitative data, which validated our Initial Codes.
Quotes from the Questionnaire
Engaging in talks
ONLINE WORKSHOPS
Participants
10
Time
60 minutes
Sessions
2
Designing the activities involved analysing our objectives and creating engaging experiences that evoke nostalgia, allowing participants to revisit their childhood and reflect on how their culinary experiences have evolved
The Workshop Activities included exploring mealtime traditions, discussing diet-related health aspects, and debating cultural integration versus preservation within Asian immigrant generations, as detailed in the Workshop Activities and Key Objectives table.
Table of the Workshop Activities and Key Objectives
We organised 2 Online Workshops to explore food and meal cultures among first and second Asian Immigrant generations. The Generative Dialogue Framework leveraged lived experiences of participants and knowledge exchange.
The workshops were conducted on zoom with both demographics and team members, each with a distinct role to ensure effective communication and data gathering. I hosted the workshops, guiding participants through the activities, while my team members posed follow-up questions.
Workshop 1: First-Generation Participants
Participant A Workshop 1 activities
Deeper insights on personal value systems
FOLLOW-UP INTERVIEWS
Participants
10
Time
10
Sessions
30 minutes
Each team member conducted follow-up interviews to delve into participants' experiences, perspectives, and reflections on food culture in immigrant families. Interview questions were collaboratively designed after reviewing workshop transcripts to address knowledge gaps. This two-step strategy, combining GDF workshops with interviews, ensures a thorough examination of food culture among first and second-generation Asian immigrants.
Our research hypothesis took an unexpected turn
Early cross-cultural culinary practices were shaped by geographical locations and the availability of natural food resources. Climate also acted as a silent yet influential chef, steering meal choices, like using yogurt to combat the heat in Indian summers, a practice adopted by neighboring Asian countries as well. These unique geographical settings interwove distinct culinary identities, evident in the emergence of Hawaiian poke bowls, influenced by the Pacific Ocean's location.
This finding challenges the Research Hypothesis that cross-cultural culinary practices are solely observed among second-generation immigrants. Instead, it underscores the involuntary nature of these practices, rooted in environmental factors like geography and climate, resulting in a diverse tapestry of evolving cross-cultural culinary traditions.
The findings
Navigating culinary narratives
THEMATIC ANALYSIS
3 days
Sub-themes
17
Themes
Time
5
During data analysis and synthesis, we employed Dovetail, uploading workshop and interview transcripts along with initial codes from online ethnography. Thematic analysis on Zoom allowed us to delve into interesting insights collaboratively, fostering a shared understanding and minimising bias.
These insights led us to develop five key research themes, which we refined through a Zoom discussion after initially identifying 17 sub-themes
These themes align with our research questions on intergenerational friction stemming from thinking gaps. Additionally, they address the fourth research question about the offset outcomes of acculturation, illustrating trends like ingredient substitution for healthier options influenced by age and a preference for natural foods rather than conforming to a new environment for a sense of belonging, as initially suggested by our research hypothesis.
Check out the interesting data points.
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The involuntary acculturation in first-generation immigrants, driven by the desire for belonging, while the second generation actively embraces ethnic practices, influenced by a broad-minded perspective.
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This arises from health-conscious choices and the scarcity of fresh traditional ingredients, often containing preservatives and falling short of satisfying nostalgia.
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A desire for positive culinary experiences can limit palette exploration
We created a Research Report summarising our thematic analysis. We emphasised key observations related to our research questions and offered an accessible account of the collected data, without explicitly dicussing the identified themes.
Communicating the codes
I simplified five key themes into three insights, aligning my interpretation with existing knowledge. This makes the Discussion Paper more accessible, offering a concise yet thoughtful perspective on the dataset.
Themes to insights
I crafted a visual diagram illustrating the dynamic interplay among external factors like environment and adapting to post-immigration lifestyles. It navigates generational friction stemming from differing childhood experiences, capturing the internal thought processes. Addressing the 'personal' aspect of the research, it showcases individuals striving to maintain roots while seeking a sense of belonging.
In conclusion, our study explored the complex dynamics of culinary acculturation among Asian migrants in Australia. Findings provide insights into cross-cultural practices shaped by global influences and environmental factors, challenging our initial hypothesis. Despite concerns about cultural dilution, food serves as a bridge, fostering connections in multicultural societies.
Conclusion
Limitations include a focus on the American context due to limited Online Ethnography sources on the Asian immigrant experience in Australia. The participant pool, mostly female, creates a gap in understanding broader immigrant experiences, potentially excluding diverse perspectives. Additionally, the absence of cameras during Zoom workshops might introduce social desirability bias, restricting open discussions about negative culinary experiences. These factors limit the study's comprehensiveness and depth of insights.
Limitations
In my Discussion Paper on Asian Culinary practices, I've distilled nuanced insights, demonstrating critical thinking and evidence-based creativity. By connecting findings to existing knowledge, I explored broader implications of current culinary attitudes. This personalised exploration allowed me to delve into research aims, infusing the results with meaningful interpretations.