Manger au temps du Covid: ethnographies urbaine et rurale auprès de personnes migrantes et immigrantes, minorisées, dans le Bordelais Eating during Covid-19: urban and rural ethnographies with minorized migrants and immigrant people in the Bordeaux region

This article is based on ethnographic work carried out in the area of Bordeaux within the frame of the European project Food2gather dealing with food and migration. We explore the food practices of people in situation of precariousness, mostly exiles, migrants, undocumented workers, settling in the Bordeaux area, not as a “social and cultural isolate” [Abélès 1996; Althabe 1985], but as part of the global foodscape [Dolphijn 2004; Watson 2013]. This concept enables us to examine the multifarious dimensions of food, from field to fork and beyond, as well as the economic, political, social and symbolic aspects involved. Through diversified and complementary fieldwork methods, both in urban and rural contexts, we investigate the mobilisations and solidarities deployed by militants and volunteers defending the cause of people in situation of migration and ethnic or social minorization. We unveil, through the prism of food, the social injustices, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis. By illustrating how agriculture, food, migration and solidarities are closely interrelated, we highlight how the various food itineraries provide information in terms of unequal rights, social (in)justice and unequal values conferred to lives and bodies

Manger au temps du Covid: ethnographies urbaine et rurale auprès de personnes migrantes et immigrantes, minorisées, dans le Bordelais Eating during Covid-19: urban and rural ethnographies with minorized migrants and immigrant people in the Bordeaux region

This article is based on ethnographic work carried out in the area of Bordeaux within the frame of the European project Food2gather dealing with food and migration. We explore the food practices of people in situation of precariousness, mostly exiles, migrants, undocumented workers, settling in the Bordeaux area, not as a “social and cultural isolate” [Abélès 1996; Althabe 1985], but as part of the global foodscape [Dolphijn 2004; Watson 2013]. This concept enables us to examine the multifarious dimensions of food, from field to fork and beyond, as well as the economic, political, social and symbolic aspects involved. Through diversified and complementary fieldwork methods, both in urban and rural contexts, we investigate the mobilisations and solidarities deployed by militants and volunteers defending the cause of people in situation of migration and ethnic or social minorization. We unveil, through the prism of food, the social injustices, particularly during the Covid-19 crisis. By illustrating how agriculture, food, migration and solidarities are closely interrelated, we highlight how the various food itineraries provide information in terms of unequal rights, social (in)justice and unequal values conferred to lives and bodies

FOOD2GATHER: What is migrants’ food all about in Europe? A media discourse analysis through the lens of controversies

This report is part of the HERANET funded project FOOD2GATHER. The project aims at understanding the question of integration/exclusion of migrants through foodscapes. An important step in this direction is to analyse the contextual framework within which food-related practices, norms and values are embedded in European societies. Food controversies that have raised and have been reported in the media since the “2015 migrants’ crisis” across Europe can reveal important aspects related to such norms and values and indicate possible tensions and compromises. This report presents and discusses relevant food controversies that occurred in the six countries participating in the study (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, and the Netherlands). This will generate a contextual overview of the integration/exclusion of migrants through foodscapes. Controversy has been used as a tool and a scanner. Each of the six FOOD2GATHER teams provided two relevant controversies that have reached media attention in the last ten years. One of the two had to be related to halal food. The analysis of the controversies has been conducted by identifying issues they tackled, agents they involved, (public) spaces and situations in which controversies took place and what they produced. A comparative analysis of relevant variables related to migrations, such as the geopolitical position of the countries, organization of reception and food provision, has been conducted as well. The six countries included in the study have different traditions related to migration and have been exposed to the “migrants’ crisis” in different ways. These differences are reflected in the proposed controversies. However, some common traits tend to emerge and reveal power relationships within societies that are different or shared by the countries involved in the project. We show that these power relationships particularly deal with the right to food, citizens’ commitment, identity, the place of religion, animal welfare and political issues. Our study indicates that analysing controversies adds an important dimension to the study of foodscapes. Food controversies that reach the media attention are seldom something migrants have brought up themselves. The migrants’ representation in the media based on food controversies indicated that migrants are given little opportunity to negotiating values and practices, as norms about “the right” quantity and quality of food tend to reproduce the food model of the country they migrate to, also when there is a “positive” focus on ethnic business. To better understand these dynamics, we propose the concept of “food encounters” and illustrate how the type of food encounters can play a role in how foodscapes could evolve or even emerge

Terroir and Cultural patrimony: reflections on regional cuisines in Aquitaine

Today the South West of France is widely renown for its cuisine and gastronomy. This presentation aims at exploring the different ingredients which contribute to the making of the concept of Regional Cuisine. It is based on field work undertaken in Aquitaine: it involved visits to families including 2 and even 3 generations in different areas, with interviews of individuals, observation, discussions. And also interviews with producers of food-products a well as persons in charge of their prom..

Des mangeurs, des producteurs : dynamiques des Terroirs

Aujourd'hui en Aquitaine prolifèrent toutes sortes de mise en scènes des productions agro-alimentaires régionales sous la forme de foires, salons gastronomiques, marchés où les “ produits de terroir ” sont mis à l'honneur. Cette région touristique jouit aujourd'hui d'une notoriété alimentaire même s'il n'en fut pas toujours ainsi ! Au-delà du sens que l'on peut donner à ce développement culinaire, l'ethnologue s'intéresse aux logiques qui donnent existence à ces produits et aux usages qui en sont faits par différents protagonistes.In Aquitaine today prosper all kinds of events promoting regional food products, whether food fairs or gastronomic salons, where “produits de terroir” are celebrated. This touristic area, characterised by an important and varied agro production, is particularly famous for its food although it has not always been the case. The ethnologist examines the processes which give existence to such products and how they are used by diverse protagonists

Terroir and Cultural patrimony: reflections on regional cuisines in Aquitaine

Today the South West of France is widely renown for its cuisine and gastronomy. This presentation aims at exploring the different ingredients which contribute to the making of the concept of Regional Cuisine. It is based on field work undertaken in Aquitaine: it involved visits to families including 2 and even 3 generations in different areas, with interviews of individuals, observation, discussions. And also interviews with producers of food-products a well as persons in charge of their prom..