Consumerism and gendering in food culture: a study of urban Kerala

ABSTRACT

Food culture is a fast-changing phenomenon in contemporary society. Existing literature about the changes in food culture implies that industrialization, urbanization, and a dynamic market are the key factors that transformed food practices among many societies. The study explored the changes in urban practices related to food in post-liberal Kerala through a social survey among 200 households in Thiruvananthapuram, the capital of Kerala. The study revealed a complex interplay of urban lifestyle, innovative markets, and gendered homes. The drastic changes that materialized in the food practices are also credited to the stagnant gender hierarchy in the households. Most households interviewed have employed women who lack the time and convenience to invest more time in cooking staple South Indian dishes, which reflects the gender dimensions of food culture. While most households retained their traditional cuisines, the source and mode of procurement are subsumed mainly by big supermarket chains. There also, changes occurred in the attitude toward eating and cooking. Food is now not just an indispensable commodity for survival but also a component of showcasing and pleasure. The paper highlights the need for further interdisciplinary explorations of food culture in urban Kerala.

KEYWORDS:

• Food culture
• urbanization
• consumerism
• gender
• Kerala
• India

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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Shabin Basheer Nabeesa

Shabin Basheer Nabeesa completed Post Graduation in Social Work from Central University of Tamilnadu, India. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, Don Bosco College, Kerala, India. His interest areas include, culture in late modern period, media studies, and consumption studies.

Chitra Karunakaran Prasanna

Chitra Karunakaran Prasanna completed her Doctoral studies in Social Work from Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai. She is currently working as Assistant Professor in the Department of Social Work, Central University of Tamil Nadu, India. Her interest areas falls in the domains of Environment and Development, Social Policy and Gender studies.