Leaving Home Young People and Food

Leaving Home Young People and Food Leaving Home Young People and Food Ann Parinder PhD student Institutionen för mat, hälsa & miljö, MHM Göteborgs Universitet Department of Food, Health and Environment University of Gothenburg Presentation of my project - an overview Preliminary results Snapshots from ongoing activities Exemplified by photos INSTITUTIONEN FÖR MAT, HÄLSA OCH MILJÖ Introduction Introduktion Projektet bedrivs inom ramarna för forskarskolan Klimat & Mobilitet, Göteborgs Miljövetenskapliga Centrum och innefattar 20 doktorander vid ett flertal institutioner inom fem fakulteter. Mitt intresse fokuseras på ungdomars syn på mat och matval ur ett klimatperspektiv. Studien har en hushållsvetenskaplig inriktning. Studien är longitudinell och kommer att presenteras som en monografi. Syfte och frågeställning Att följa ungdomar när de i tanke och handling gör sina matval inom det egna hushållet och i det offentliga rummet. Hur navigerar de mellan faktiska ramar, kunskap och egna önskningar när de gör sina matval? Hur ser de på sina i matval i förhållande till klimatpåverkan? Hur styr ungdomarnas tidigare erfarenheter matvalen? Vad påverkar dessa val idag och hur ser de själva på sina framtida val? Metodik och studieupplägg Urvalet omfattar ca 25 ungdomar i 16-20 årsåldern som nyligen fått ansvar för eget hushåll och kommer att följas i ca 2 år. Ungdomarna har i en del fall ett uttalat miljöintresse och många internationella erfarenheter. Metodiken omfattar bland annat: Återkommande djupintervjuer Fokusgrupper Fotograferade matdagböcker Skriftliga reflektioner Preliminära resultat Ungdomar har en bild av hur det skall vara Det finns riktig mat, inte riktig mat & mat Smak, hälsa, ekonomi, förtrogenhet, kunskap & etik styr ungdomarnas val Det finns en öppenhet till förändring Kompisar är aktiva förändringsagenter Mat är en socialiseringsarena som inkluderar/exkluderar Matval är en identitetsmarkör The project is carried out within the remit of the Research School Climate and Mobility, Göteborgs Miljövetenskapliga Centrum, and includes 20 PhD students at several institutions and 5 faculties. My task puts a focus on how young people look upon food and how they choose food seen from a climate perspective. The study has a home economic approach is longitudinal will be summarised as a monography Objectives To follow young people in how they in theory and practice choose food within their own household and in the public domain How do they navigate between these choices given certain prerequisites, knowledge and own wishes? Objectives (ctd) How do they look upon their choices in relation to how these may influence the climate? In what manner does previous experience direct their choices? What factors influence their choices today and how do they look upon their future choices? 1

Materials & Methods The study group includes approximately 25 students aged 16 to 21 and that recently have taken their own responsibility for the household and will be followed for two years. In some cases the students have expressed a clear interest for the environment and many have a lot of international experiences from foreign food cultures. Materials & Methods (ctd) The methodology includes: Recurrent interviews Focus groups Documented (photo) food diaries Written reflections Young people have a conception on how it should be Preliminary results Young people have a conception on how it should be There is real food, not real food and just food Taste, health, economy, familiarity, knowledge and ethic considerations guide the choices There is an openness towards change Friends are active agents for change Food is an arena for socialisation that includes/excludes Food choice is a marker of identity Real food, not real food and just food There is real food, not real food and just food Recurrent concepts among the young people Individual interpretations Real food may include: Hot food Home-made food Fresh food Not plingpling food Food with companion 2

Food Taste, health, economy, familiarity, knowledge and ethic considerations guide the choices Existing and requested knowledge Existing: Purchase Uses available information and tools Preparation of food Friends, internet and cook books as references and sources for inspiration Trial and error Consult with other people Requested: Internal cook book Skills in nutrition Transparent food chains Purchase Strategies Buy: Food you know you like Food that is healthy Food that others have recommended and that you think you would like Food that you will consume before it becomes uneatable Food that satisfy your hunger Food that is worth its price Food that looks tasty Taste, health, economy, familiarity, knowledge and ethic considerations guide the choices 3

Taste, health, economy, familiarity, knowledge & ethic Health and etic Health is important but not yet another project There is an openness towards change The result was tasty Friends are active agents for change Food worthwile becoming a project 4

Plan B is not inspiring Food is an arena for socialisation that includes/excludes 5

Food as a driver for socialisation Food choice is a marker of identity To choose or not to choose That is the choice Adolescens Oscillation between progression and regression An interplay between security and autonomy A post subcultural generation Life style, identity and belonging Multiple identities (Redhead, 1997) Redhead, Stephan (1997). Subcultural to Clubculture. An introduction to cultural study What s next? Analysis The role of the researcher (Muggleton, 2001) Listen and understand Not decode and interpret Theory (grounded theory) Write, write, write.. Muggelton, David (2001). Inside subculture. 6