The phenomenon of “gastics” in intercultural communication
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.12795/IC.2025.I22.10Keywords:
Intercultural dialogue, Etiqu, Antropology, Gastro-culture, National dishesAbstract
The purpose of this study was to explore the symbolic and communicative functions of food as a means of intercultural interaction, as well as to determine how national gastronomic traditions influence the formation of cultural identity in the context of globalization. The study focused on the gastronomic practices of different countries, such as China, Korea, Japan, Turkey, Central Asia, Europe and the United States, and analysed how national dishes become symbols of cultural heritage and social interaction. Particular attention was paid to how globalization affects the spread of gastronomic traditions, adapting them to other cultures, and how the media and gastro-tourism contribute to the popularization of national dishes around the world. The analysis also covered the conflicts that can arise from cultural differences in food consumption and table behaviour and their impact on intercultural communication. It was found that gastronomic traditions play a significant role in preserving national identity, especially in the context of globalization, when traditional dishes are adapted to new cultural contexts. At the same time, the study highlighted the importance of media and gastro-tourism as a means of spreading knowledge about other cultures through food, which promotes cultural exchange and facilitates intercultural understanding.
References
Alymbaeva, Aida Aaly. (2020). Nations of Plov and Beshbarmak: Central Asian food and national identity on the internet. Muslim World, 110(1), 107-125. https://doi.org/10.1111/muwo.12321
Anderson, Lara, & Ingram, Rebecca. (2020). Introduction. Transhispanic food cultural studies: Defining the subfield. Bulletin of Spanish Studies, 97(4), 471-483. https://doi.org/10.1080/14753820.2020.1702273
Ayan, Oya. (2023). Gastro-postcolonialism: Metaphyscial symbols in brand communication. Hiperlink Education Communication Publishing.
Baumert, Nicolas, & Fukuda, Ikuhiro. (2021). The raw and the cooked in Japanese cuisine: Triangulations around culture, nature and artifice. Anthropology of Food, 15. https://doi.org/10.4000/aof.12807
Bozkurt, Arzan Dilek, & Arslan, İsmet Kahraman. (2023). The effect of intercultural interaction on the glocalization of Döner Kebab. Journal of International Trade, Logistics and Law, 9(1), 261-277.
Callegari, Danielle, & Perna, Joseph. (2020). Unlabelling authenticity: Food and wine in Mario Soldati. Italianist, 40(2), 203-213. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614340.2020.1775369
Cheng, Denian, Fountain, Joanna, Rosin, Christopher, & Lucock, Xiaomeng. (2024). Interpreting Chinese concepts of authenticity: A constructivist epistemology. Tourism Management, 103, 104908. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2024.104908
Douglas, Mary. (1966). Purity and danger: an analysis of concepts of pollution and taboo. Routledge & Kegan Paul.
Dunlop, Fuchsia. (2023). Invitation to a banquet: The story of Chinese food. Penguin Books.
Gibson, Kate. (2023). Feeding the middle classes: Taste, class and domestic food practices. Bristol University Press. https://doi.org/10.51952/9781529214901
Giglio, Zoe R. (2024). Examining food as a cultural artifact in narratives of immigration and displacement. [Thesis, Georgetown University]. DG Digital Georgetown. https://repository.library.georgetown.edu/handle/10822/1088615
Graf, Katharina, & Mescoli, Elsa. (2020). Special issue introduction: From nature to culture? Lévi-Strauss’ legacy and the study of contemporary foodways. Food, Culture & Society, 23(4), 465-471. https://doi.org/10.1080/15528014.2020.1773692
Guptill, Amy E., Copelton, Denise A., & Lucal, Betsy. (2022). Food & society: Principles and paradoxes. John Wiley & Sons.
Hall, Edward. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.
Heng, Jenna. (2023). Ethnic food fights: Assembling Asian American identities. [Thesis, Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville]. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville ProQuest Dissertations & Theses. https://www.proquest.com/openview/506d3530728ca0ae96b2a1127d29b9dc/1?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
Hofstede, Geert. (1980). Culture’s consequences: international differences in work‑related values. Sage Publications.
Ishchenko, Olena M. (2020). Gastics as a marker of identification of an intercultural environment. Scientific Notes of the International Humanitarian University, 32, 193-198.
Jeong, Jaehyeon, & Oh, Joong-Hwan. (2021). Communicating food in Korea. Rowman & Littlefield.
Lévi-Strauss, Claude. (1969). The raw and the cooked. Harper & Row.
Lim, Hui-Rang, & An, Soyoung. (2021). Intention to purchase wellbeing food among Korean consumers: An application of the Theory of Planned Behavior. Food Quality and Preference, 88, 104101. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodqual.2020.104101
Mauss, Marcel. (1966). The gift: Forms and functions of exchange in archaic societies. Cohen & West.
Mintz, Sidney. (2002). The Anthropology of food and eating. Berghahn.
Muhammad, Abdulgaffar, & Adilbekova, Kaldygul (2023). Culinary diplomacy: Unveiling the palate as a pathway to stronger international relations. International Journal of Sociology and Economics, 5(2), 431-449. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8382293
Onalbayeva, Aigul T., Zhumagulova, Bakitgul S., & Cui, Cunde. (2022). Ethnocultural and communicative features of the Kazakh gastika. Bulletin of the Karaganda University. Philology Series, 107(3), 20-24. https://doi.org/10.31489/2022ph3/20-24
Otunchieva, Aiperi, Borbodoev, Jorobek, Ploeger, Angelika. (2021). The transformation of food culture on the case of Kyrgyz nomads – A historical overview. Sustainability, 13(15), 8371. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13158371
Partarakis, Nikolaos, Kaplanidi, Danae, Doulgeraki, Paraskevi, Karuzaki, Effie, Petraki, Argyro, Metilli, Daniele, Bartalesi, Valentina, Adami, Ilia, Meghini, Carlo, & Zabulis, Xenophon. (2021). Representation and presentation of culinary tradition as cultural heritage. Heritage, 4(2), 612-640. https://doi.org/10.3390/heritage4020036
Pavlidis, George, & Markantonatou, Stella. (2020). Gastronomic tourism in Greece and beyond: A thorough review. International Journal of Gastronomy and Food Science, 21, 100229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijgfs.2020.100229
Pilcher, Jeffrey M. (2023). Food in world history. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003332039
Reddy, Geetha, & van Dam, R.M. (2020). Food, culture, and identity in multicultural societies: Insights from Singapore. Appetite, 149, 104633. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.appet.2020.104633
Rings, Christopher. (2022). The Cambridge introduction to intercultural communication. Cambridge University Press.
Ristaino, Christine, & Li, Hong. (2022). Food as transnational space in the United States as shown through the concept of cultural hybridity. In Tina Powell, Patricia S. Suppes (Eds.), Transnational American Spaces (pp. 215-233). Vernon Press.
Shibiko, Olga. (2021). Terms of traditional cuisine as interlingual gaps. In O. Kolmakova, O. Boginskaya, S. Grichin (Eds.), Language and Technology in the Interdisciplinary Paradigm (pp. 843-850). European Publisher. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2021.12.102
Soyombo, Deborah Aanuoluwa, Kupa, Eseoghene, Ijomah, Tochukwu Ignatius, Toromade, & Adekunle Stephen. (2024). Culinary narratives: Exploring the socio-cultural dynamics of food culture in Africa. Open Access Research Journal of Science and Technology, 11(2), 88-98. https://doi.org/10.53022/oarjst.2024.11.2.0086
Ting‑Toomey, Stella. (2010). “Applying Dimensional Values in Understanding Intercultural Communication.” Communication Monographs, 77(2), 169‑180. https://doi.org/10.1080/03637751003790428
Tortolini, David Williams. (2021). Media effects on cultural perceptions as seen in food media and food cultures. [Thesis, Old Dominion University]. ODU Digital Commons. https://doi.org/10.25777/m30v-b651
Visković, Nika Razpotnik. (2021). Gastronomy as a social catalyst in the creative place-making process. Acta Geographica Slovenica, 61(1), 185-199. https://doi.org/10.3986/AGS.9409
Yıkmış, Seydi, Türkol, Melikenur, Abdi, Gholamreza, İmre, Мelike, Alkan, Gözde, Aslan, Sinem Türk, Rabail, Roshina, & Aadil, Rana Muhammad. (2024). Culinary trends in future gastronomy: A review. Journal of Agriculture and Food Research, 18, 101363. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jafr.2024.101363