Reimagined Community in London: The transmission of food as heritage in the Afghan Diaspora

Haboucha, Rebecca

Abstract

This chapter focuses on an applied thematic analysis of the continuity and change of foodstuffs and food practices, their transmission within and beyond the domestic unit, and their role in the formation of identity within the Afghan diaspora. These themes capture how Afghan food in London represents true diasporic memory. The history of Afghanistan and migration to the UK are testimonies to the varied lived experiences of refugees in London. The chapter argues that the re-imagining of an ‘Afghan’ collective memory and community in diaspora can only be understood if place is taken to be in flux: the process of migration itself. The first theme of the applied thematic analysis pertains to the food and foodways that have been maintained since leaving Afghanistan. Examining the transmission of Afghan food practices is crucial for ascertaining how the means of transmission and its recipients have changed over time to create a creolized, reimagined Afghan cuisine in diaspora.

Citation

Haboucha, R. (2020). Reimagined Community in London: The transmission of food as heritage in the Afghan Diaspora. In R. Matta, C. de Suremain, & C. Crenn (Eds.), Food Identities at Home and On the Move: Explorations at the Intersection of Food, Belonging and Dwelling (34-48). London: Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003085430

• Online Publication Date: Jun 8, 2020
• Publication Date: May 26, 2020
• Deposit Date: Feb 7, 2022
• Publicly Available Date: Mar 3, 2022
• Publisher: Routledge
• Pages: 34-48
• Series Title: Home
• Book Title: Food Identities at Home and On the Move: Explorations at the Intersection of Food, Belonging and Dwelling
• Chapter Number: 2
• ISBN: 9781350122314
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003085430
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/3924150