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What is commensality? A critical discussion of an expanding research field

Jönsson, Håkan LU orcid ; Michaud, Maxime and Neuman, Nicklas (2021) In International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 18(12).
Abstract

Commensality (the act of eating together) is studied in a range of disciplines and often considered important for social communion, order, health and well-being, while simultaneously being understood as in decline (especially the family meal). However, such claims are also contested in various ways. In this paper, we discuss the expanding field of commensality research and critically reflect on the debates surrounding its social functions, including its role in public health. We illuminate the deep social and cultural significance of commensality, through time and space, and conclude that whether or not commensality is the preferred social form of eating for any given individual, it is difficult to escape its sociocultural desirability... (More)

Commensality (the act of eating together) is studied in a range of disciplines and often considered important for social communion, order, health and well-being, while simultaneously being understood as in decline (especially the family meal). However, such claims are also contested in various ways. In this paper, we discuss the expanding field of commensality research and critically reflect on the debates surrounding its social functions, including its role in public health. We illuminate the deep social and cultural significance of commensality, through time and space, and conclude that whether or not commensality is the preferred social form of eating for any given individual, it is difficult to escape its sociocultural desirability and idealization. As a cross-cultural phenomenon in both past, present, and future, we suggest that commensality deserves further research. This includes commensality as a research topic in itself and as an entry point to unveil different dimensions of social relations between people, as well as interactions between humans and material objects.

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Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Commensality, Eating together, Meal sharing
in
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
volume
18
issue
12
article number
6235
publisher
MDPI AG
external identifiers
  • pmid:34207626
  • scopus:85107433330
ISSN
1661-7827
DOI
10.3390/ijerph18126235
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
fa320212-1485-4899-8f4c-a2065bf45153
date added to LUP
2021-06-24 15:00:34
date last changed
2024-12-16 08:12:45
@article{fa320212-1485-4899-8f4c-a2065bf45153,
  abstract     = {{<p>Commensality (the act of eating together) is studied in a range of disciplines and often considered important for social communion, order, health and well-being, while simultaneously being understood as in decline (especially the family meal). However, such claims are also contested in various ways. In this paper, we discuss the expanding field of commensality research and critically reflect on the debates surrounding its social functions, including its role in public health. We illuminate the deep social and cultural significance of commensality, through time and space, and conclude that whether or not commensality is the preferred social form of eating for any given individual, it is difficult to escape its sociocultural desirability and idealization. As a cross-cultural phenomenon in both past, present, and future, we suggest that commensality deserves further research. This includes commensality as a research topic in itself and as an entry point to unveil different dimensions of social relations between people, as well as interactions between humans and material objects.</p>}},
  author       = {{Jönsson, Håkan and Michaud, Maxime and Neuman, Nicklas}},
  issn         = {{1661-7827}},
  keywords     = {{Commensality; Eating together; Meal sharing}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{06}},
  number       = {{12}},
  publisher    = {{MDPI AG}},
  series       = {{International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health}},
  title        = {{What is commensality? A critical discussion of an expanding research field}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126235}},
  doi          = {{10.3390/ijerph18126235}},
  volume       = {{18}},
  year         = {{2021}},
}