The cycle of food socialization: leisure as resistance

ABSTRACT

Historically, the relationship between humans and food is complex. The necessity of food for life has resulted in food being important in structuring life and identity. The increasing stronghold of the agrofood complex (e.g. Big Food) in the production and engineering of food is taking a toll on socio-ecological systems. Using Harro’s (2018a. “The Cycle of Socialisation.” In Readings for Diversity and Social Justice, edited by A. Adams, W. J. Blumenfeld, C. Casteneda, H. W. Hackman, M. L. Peters, and X. Zuniga, 45–52. New York: Routledge) Cycle of Socialization as a framework, we examine how humans have been socialized to value and depend on engineered foods to the detriment of human and environmental health and propose the Cycle of Food Socialization. Dominant socializing forces of contemporary mass food production, eating habits, and perceptions of food keep us trapped in a cycle of unhealthy behaviours that make food more of an enemy than friend. We further propose that growing interest in locally farmed and naturally produced food as a leisure pursuit is uniquely positioned as a pathway to liberation from this cycle.

KEYWORDS:

• Leisure
• health
• environment
• food industry
• sustainable food systems
• eating behaviours

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Dorothy L. Schmalz, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Health, Kinesiology, and Recreation at the University of Utah. Her research focuses on the psychosocial effects of stigma on health behaviours and has recently begun exploring the inter-relationship between food and eating as leisure for health, justice, and wellness. Her research has been published in leisure and public health journals.

Leah Joyner is a Ph.D. student and teaching and research assistant in the Parks, Recreation, and Tourism department at the University of Utah. She holds an M.S. in Sustainable Tourism from East Carolina University, a B.A. in Sustainable Development, and a B.S. in Technical Photography from Appalachian State University. Her research is centred in food justice, sustainable tourism, agritourism, and additional experiences at the intersection of food systems, recreation, and leisure.

Lauren N. Duffy, Ph.D., is an assistant professor in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at Clemson University. Dr Duffy's research explores issues of sustainable tourism with a critical lens. She is interested in how power dynamics influence stakeholder decisions and distribution of tourism impacts in tourism development and planning, and critical pedagogy and global learning.

Kelly S. Bricker, Ph.D., is a professor and Director of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism at the University of Utah, located in the College of Health. She specializes in nature's restorative benefits, amenity communities, tourism impacts, sustainable tourism and protected areas. With partners in OARS and her husband, she developed an ecotourism operation, Rivers Fiji.

Kerstin K. Blomquist is an associate professor of Clinical Psychology at Furman University. She earned her Ph.D. in clinical science from Vanderbilt University, completed her clinical internship at the UC San Diego/VA and a postdoctoral fellowship at Yale School of Medicine. Her research examines risk factors of body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviours and aims to develop effective, sustainable interventions to prevent disordered eating behaviours and promote a positive body image, healthy lifestyles and psychological well-being.