Multicultural food events – opportunities for intercultural exchange and risks of stereotypification

ABSTRACT

Events based on food from various cultures are often promoted as multicultural and as opportunities for establishing insights into other cultures. They are also highlighted as springboards for recently immigrated food entrepreneurs and as spaces for labour market integration. However, with such events often having underlying social agendas and sometimes being free of charge, such aims risk being undermined. Generally being linked to minority cultures, food events also risk leading to exotification where individuals are made into symbols of multiculturalism, which consolidates the idea that cultural diversity is an offer for an ethnic majority to enjoy. This paper aims to open a critical debate on multicultural food events by exploring barriers to inclusion and the influence of prejudice. Criticism aimed at misuses of multiculturalism in relation to food events and tourism is used as a theoretical lens for the analysis of two types of food events. The findings illustrate how shallow interpretations of multiculturalism still influence tourism products and reinforce the norms they claim to counteract. Thus, tourism stakeholders need to gather critical insights about the influence of white hegemonies, whilst recognising the effect of their own bias.

KEYWORDS:

• Multiculturalism
• food events
• intercultural exchange
• stereotypes
• inclusive tourism

Acknowledgements

The authors wish to thank the managers of the social enterprise and course participants in case one, and the participating entrepreneurs and project assistant, Alice Hultdin in case two.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Mistra Urban Futures: [Grant Number ES/N005945/2]; Formas: [Grant Number FR-2018/0010].

Notes on contributors

Helena Kraff

Helena Kraff works as a Senior Lecturer and researcher in Embedded Design at the Faculty of Fine, Applied and Performing Arts, University of Gothenburg. As a design researcher, she engages in research on collaborative and inclusive tourism practices. She has published in journals such as Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Social Enterprise Journal, The Design Journal and Journal of Co-Design.

Eva Maria Jernsand

Eva Maria Jernsand is a Researcher in Marketing at the School of Business, Economics and Law and the Centre for Tourism, both at the University of Gothenburg, Sweden. Her research interests revolve around learning, inclusiveness and co-creation in place branding and destination development. Eva Maria has published in journals such as Place Branding and Public Diplomacy, Tourism Recreation Research, Social Enterprise Journal and Action Research Journal.