Plant-Based Diets in the Digital Era: The Role of Social Media in Vegan and Vegetarian Practices
(2024) SMMM40 20241Department of Service Studies
- Abstract
- Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular as a mainstream lifestyle choice, reflecting broader societal values and an interest in ethical consumption and environmental consciousness. Social media plays an important role in popularizing plant-based diets, serving as a channel for information sharing. However, while existing literature acknowledges the link between social media and plant-based practices, there is still a gap in understanding the nuanced impact of these digital platforms on everyday dietary practices. This thesis uses a multi-methodological approach, combining ethnographic interviews and digital ethnography observation, to understand how plant-based food practices and social media use is integrated, as well as the... (More)
- Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular as a mainstream lifestyle choice, reflecting broader societal values and an interest in ethical consumption and environmental consciousness. Social media plays an important role in popularizing plant-based diets, serving as a channel for information sharing. However, while existing literature acknowledges the link between social media and plant-based practices, there is still a gap in understanding the nuanced impact of these digital platforms on everyday dietary practices. This thesis uses a multi-methodological approach, combining ethnographic interviews and digital ethnography observation, to understand how plant-based food practices and social media use is integrated, as well as the ways in which social media shapes and enables these plant-based food practices. Thematic analysis within the framework of Practice Theory was used to showcase that social media use is deeply integrated into many aspects of plant-based shopping, cooking and eating practices. Therefore, not only facilitating the carrying out of plant-based practices by providing accessible information and a supportive practice community but also helping in redefining what constitutes normal and acceptable dietary practices by normalizing them and reducing barriers to participation. By researching the intersection between social media use and plant-based food practices, this thesis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of sustainable consumption in contemporary society, highlighting the potential of social media as a tool in promoting significant dietary shifts towards plant-based eating. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9168246
- author
- Ayulo Gobelli, Arianna and Merk, Lena LU
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SMMM40 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- plant-based, vegan, vegetarian, social media, practice theory, food practices
- language
- English
- id
- 9168246
- date added to LUP
- 2024-06-25 12:58:51
- date last changed
- 2024-06-25 12:58:51
@misc{9168246,
abstract = {{Plant-based diets have become increasingly popular as a mainstream lifestyle choice, reflecting broader societal values and an interest in ethical consumption and environmental consciousness. Social media plays an important role in popularizing plant-based diets, serving as a channel for information sharing. However, while existing literature acknowledges the link between social media and plant-based practices, there is still a gap in understanding the nuanced impact of these digital platforms on everyday dietary practices. This thesis uses a multi-methodological approach, combining ethnographic interviews and digital ethnography observation, to understand how plant-based food practices and social media use is integrated, as well as the ways in which social media shapes and enables these plant-based food practices. Thematic analysis within the framework of Practice Theory was used to showcase that social media use is deeply integrated into many aspects of plant-based shopping, cooking and eating practices. Therefore, not only facilitating the carrying out of plant-based practices by providing accessible information and a supportive practice community but also helping in redefining what constitutes normal and acceptable dietary practices by normalizing them and reducing barriers to participation. By researching the intersection between social media use and plant-based food practices, this thesis contributes to a more nuanced understanding of sustainable consumption in contemporary society, highlighting the potential of social media as a tool in promoting significant dietary shifts towards plant-based eating.}},
author = {{Ayulo Gobelli, Arianna and Merk, Lena}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Plant-Based Diets in the Digital Era: The Role of Social Media in Vegan and Vegetarian Practices}},
year = {{2024}},
}