Future of Food: Journal on Food

Habitus in alternative food practice: Exploring the role of cultural capital in two contrasting case studies in Glasgow

Alexander Barta
School of Social Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK

This study is dedicated to the exploration of the role of Bourdieu’s notion of cultural capital on the formation of habitus within alternative food initiatives (AFIs) among two contrasting case studies in the urban post-industrial landscape of Glasgow. This research will additionally demonstrate the role of cultural capital in the reproduction of inequality on a micro-level. Moreover, this investigation aims to point out, compare and contrast two distinct sets of habitus in those groups engaging in alternative food practice. A portion of the observed AFIs are situated in an area in proximity to the University of Glasgow in the West End of the city. The other community groups are located in an area with shipbuilding industry heritage, now dismantled, in Govan, in the south west of Glasgow. In both areas alternative food practices have developed substantially during the last decade. Via participant observation and in-depth interviews with a selection of individuals engaged in AFIs in the two areas, this study will juxtapose the cultural habitus of each community. This research explores to what extent, if at all, the subjectivities and practices in the two field sites differ from each other, whilst bearing in mind their starkly contrasting socio-economic contexts. The results indicate that the habitus at work in the West End is concerned rather with promoting healthy and sustainable life-styles, while the habitus in the Govan area is guided more towards the satisfaction of basic needs of existence. The findings also suggest that access to resources could be primarily dependent upon conforming to and adopting a bureaucratic mind-set.

Keywords : alternative agri-food systems ,alternative food networks ,alternative food practice ,cultural capital ,food sovereignty ,habitus .

Myanmar High School Students’ Perceptions of College and International Readiness in Western Society

Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
Mark Speckien
Louisiana Tech University
International students are more likely to experience mental health issues and increased stress. Mental health is often surrounded by negative societal stigmas that act as barriers to seeking support and tend to lead to greater mental health concerns. International students tend to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers rather than seeking out counseling services. However, this study shows that LGBTQIA+ international students were less likely to seek socioemotional support from other international student peers due to fear of their sexual orientation being discovered and their families finding out about their identity. This study examines how LGBTQIA+ international students talk about their experiences on and off campus in relations to their socioemotional well-being. Specifically, this study sought to better understand the complexities of LGBTQIA+ students’ identities, and the challenges they faced in terms of their socioemotional well-being. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.
Keywords : international students, socioemotional well-being, mental health, identity development, intersectionality, LGBTQIA