Abstract
The Maghrebian diaspora in Turkey is a significant and understudied population. This research investigates the role of food and foodways in expressing cultural identity, belonging, and integration for Maghrebian migrants residing in Turkey for more than a decade. Using a qualitative research methodology and semi-structured interviews with Tunisian, Algerian, Moroccan, and Libyan migrants, the study examines how food practices shape their sense of belonging and identity in Turkish society. The study finds that food serves as a tool for coping with homesickness, connecting with cultural heritage, and preserving memories of the past. It also reveals the importance of food practices in maintaining a sense of belonging to the broader society, including the family back home and the diasporic community in Turkey, and promoting cultural exchange between the Maghrebian community and Turkish society, thus facilitating the integration process. This study provides important insights into the ways in which food and foodways play a significant role in diaspora community formation and integration.
Subject
Computer Networks and Communications,Hardware and Architecture,Software
Reference37 articles.
1. Abbots, E. J., Klein, J., & Watson, J. (2016). Approaches to food and migration: Rootedness, being and belonging. In J. A. Klein & J. L. Watson (Eds.), The handbook of food and anthropology (pp. 115-132). Routledge.
2. Abdullah, N. (2016). Comfort food, memory, and ‘Home’: Senses in transnational contexts. In D. Miller (Ed.), Everyday life in Asia (pp. 171-190). Routledge.
3. Bajic-Hajdukovic, I. (2013). Food, family, and memory: Belgrade mothers and their migrant children. Food and Foodways, 21(1), 46–65. https://doi.org/10.1080/07409710.2013.764787
4. Directorate of Immigration Management. (2023, February 2). İkamet İZİNLERİ. T.C. İçişleri Bakanlığı Göç İdaresi Başkanlığı. Retrieved March 1, 2023, from https://www.goc.gov.tr/ikamet-izinleri
5. Byrne, M. (2001). Sampling for qualitative research. AORN Journal, 73(2), 494. https://doi.org/10.1016/s0001-2092(06)61498-x