An identity approach to bacalhau prosumption

Abstract

PurposeIn Brazil, bacalhau dishes represent strong cultural, religious and traditional values. The purpose of this paper is to propose a theoretical perspective integrating theories on social identity, role‐based identity, and cultural capital to explore multi‐phase bacalhau prosumption. The aim is to understand how consumers maintain their social identity and role‐based identity in this process.Design/methodology/approachData gathering is based on focus‐group discussions. A total of 13 focus‐group discussions were developed with 104 consumers from five different cities in Brazil. Discussions of all five phases of bacalhau prosumption reveal how people maintain and reinforce their social identity and role‐based identity.FindingsIt was found that consumers achieve their social identity through comparison with both in‐group and out‐group members in what they prosume and how they prosume. Consumers also try to maintain their role‐based identity through continuously comparing their actual behaviour with the behaviour standards associated with the role of being a good host/hostess. While economic capital is expressed by the prosumption objects, cultural capital is reflected in consumer prosumption practices.Originality/valueThis study has developed a new theoretical perspective, integrating theories on social identity, role‐based identity, and cultural capital. This novel perspective is applied to a complex food prosumption context including strong cultural, religious and social elements, and allows us to capture both the “being” and “doing” aspects of bacalhau prosumption.

Dried fish at the intersection of food science, economy, and culture: A global survey

“…Lefferts, 2005; Timberg et al, 2014). However, with the notable exception of a few publications on the cultural importance of bacalhau as the Portuguese national dish (Arvela, 2013; Pires, 2015; Xie et al, 2013), our survey located only the occasional reference to dried fish as cultural heritage. Nonetheless, we observe that many food science studies, in seeking to establish the nutritional value of traditional dried fish products, appeared to be inspired by the cultural value of those products.…”

“…Fermented fish has more recently become an important marker of localness and tradition in the Faroe Islands, drawing on associations with the Slow Food movement (Svanberg, 2015). Research exploring cultural heritage value has tended to focus primarily on European products, such as surstromming (Swedish fermented herring [ Clupea harengus , Clupeidae]), whose consumption helps construct a traditional rural identity in opposition to modern, urban values (Nygaard, 2019); and the above‐mentioned bacalhau , which is embedded in collective identity narratives and may be seen as a form of cultural capital (Arvela, 2013; Pires, 2015; Xie et al, 2013). A related approach takes dried fish as part of foodways, systems of culturally significant practices through which identity is negotiated through local foods, such as fermented fish in Thailand (Lefferts, 2005) or smoked tuna in Indonesia (Hayward & Mosse, 2012).…”

“…and the above-mentioned bacalhau, which is embedded in collective identity narratives and may be seen as a form of cultural capital (Arvela, 2013;Pires, 2015;Xie et al, 2013). A related approach takes dried fish as part of foodways, systems of culturally significant practices through which identity is negotiated through local foods, such as fermented fish in Thailand (Lefferts, 2005) or smoked tuna in Indonesia (Hayward & Mosse, 2012).…”