Foodscapes of Civil Society : Veg*n advocacy and sustainability transitions in the Sino-cultural sphere
Song Lopez, Gina LU
(2026)
In LUND EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES
- Abstract
- This dissertation is about social change ‘and’, ‘with’, as well as ‘through’ food. It examines the rise and expansion of novel approaches to veganism and plant-based lifestyles in the Sino-cultural sphere by foregrounding the assemblage of actors (human and nonhuman) at the forefront of this phenomenon. While East Asia, and more specifically Sinophone societies like China and Taiwan, have long-established meatless foodways, these have predominantly been tied to religious and spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism and Daoism. Against this backdrop, a new generation of veg*ns (inclusive of vegans and vegetarians) is increasingly engaged in dietary and lifestyle advocacy that builds on secular narratives such as animal ethics, health,... (More)
- This dissertation is about social change ‘and’, ‘with’, as well as ‘through’ food. It examines the rise and expansion of novel approaches to veganism and plant-based lifestyles in the Sino-cultural sphere by foregrounding the assemblage of actors (human and nonhuman) at the forefront of this phenomenon. While East Asia, and more specifically Sinophone societies like China and Taiwan, have long-established meatless foodways, these have predominantly been tied to religious and spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism and Daoism. Against this backdrop, a new generation of veg*ns (inclusive of vegans and vegetarians) is increasingly engaged in dietary and lifestyle advocacy that builds on secular narratives such as animal ethics, health, and sustainability. Drawing from interdisciplinary discussions on food studies, social movements, and sustainability transitions, but grounded in Asian Studies, this dissertation presents a compilation of four papers that foregrounds a foodscape in flux. It directs attention to the role of a diverse assemblage of actors that include the founding of veg*n organizations, the growth of vegan ‘new media’ accounts and platforms, the emergence of meatless markets and fairs, the proliferation of trendy veg*n and plant-based restaurants, and the inception of the next-generation of plant-based meat alternatives in shaping contemporary Sino-cultural veg*nisms. At first glance, these developments may appear to follow the globalization of veganism and plant-based diets as a trend. However, the cases of veg*n advocacy in China and Taiwan offer unique comparative insights into local processes of socio-cultural and political translation. Within these processes, meatless diets are being disentangled from their traditionally religious or strict spiritual associations, while being actively entangled with broader domestic and planetary projects of plant-based modernity and food systems sustainability. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/6e3dc94c-f61a-4cfd-8478-1812cc7ee657
- author
- Song Lopez, Gina
LU
- supervisor
-
- Marina Svensson LU
- Stefan Brehm LU
- opponent
-
- senior lecturer Klein, Jakob, SOAS University of London
- organization
- publishing date
- 2026
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- Veganism, plant-based diet, China, Taiwan, Sinophone, Sustainability transitions, Green consumption, Civil society, Social movements, food studies, Asian Studies
- in
- LUND EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES
- issue
- 3
- pages
- 142 pages
- publisher
- Lund University (Media-Tryck)
- defense location
- Asienbiblioteket, Sölvegatan 18 B
- defense date
- 2026-03-23 10:00:00
- ISSN
- 3035-854X
- ISBN
- 978-91-90055-64-9
- 978-91-90055-65-6
- project
- New social movements and sustainable food advocacy in the Sinosphere
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 6e3dc94c-f61a-4cfd-8478-1812cc7ee657
- date added to LUP
- 2026-02-04 11:00:02
- date last changed
- 2026-02-24 03:49:19
@phdthesis{6e3dc94c-f61a-4cfd-8478-1812cc7ee657,
abstract = {{This dissertation is about social change ‘and’, ‘with’, as well as ‘through’ food. It examines the rise and expansion of novel approaches to veganism and plant-based lifestyles in the Sino-cultural sphere by foregrounding the assemblage of actors (human and nonhuman) at the forefront of this phenomenon. While East Asia, and more specifically Sinophone societies like China and Taiwan, have long-established meatless foodways, these have predominantly been tied to religious and spiritual traditions, particularly Buddhism and Daoism. Against this backdrop, a new generation of veg*ns (inclusive of vegans and vegetarians) is increasingly engaged in dietary and lifestyle advocacy that builds on secular narratives such as animal ethics, health, and sustainability. Drawing from interdisciplinary discussions on food studies, social movements, and sustainability transitions, but grounded in Asian Studies, this dissertation presents a compilation of four papers that foregrounds a foodscape in flux. It directs attention to the role of a diverse assemblage of actors that include the founding of veg*n organizations, the growth of vegan ‘new media’ accounts and platforms, the emergence of meatless markets and fairs, the proliferation of trendy veg*n and plant-based restaurants, and the inception of the next-generation of plant-based meat alternatives in shaping contemporary Sino-cultural veg*nisms. At first glance, these developments may appear to follow the globalization of veganism and plant-based diets as a trend. However, the cases of veg*n advocacy in China and Taiwan offer unique comparative insights into local processes of socio-cultural and political translation. Within these processes, meatless diets are being disentangled from their traditionally religious or strict spiritual associations, while being actively entangled with broader domestic and planetary projects of plant-based modernity and food systems sustainability.}},
author = {{Song Lopez, Gina}},
isbn = {{978-91-90055-64-9}},
issn = {{3035-854X}},
keywords = {{Veganism; plant-based diet; China; Taiwan; Sinophone; Sustainability transitions; Green consumption; Civil society; Social movements; food studies; Asian Studies}},
language = {{eng}},
number = {{3}},
publisher = {{Lund University (Media-Tryck)}},
school = {{Lund University}},
series = {{LUND EAST AND SOUTHEAST ASIAN STUDIES}},
title = {{Foodscapes of Civil Society : Veg*n advocacy and sustainability transitions in the Sino-cultural sphere}},
url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/241601981/Gina_Chih-lan_Song_Lopez_-_WEBB.pdf}},
year = {{2026}},
}