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Food is central to shaping identities, building communities, and fostering belonging.

The Food and Belonging cluster examines how migrants use food practices as strategies for adaptation, resilience, and sustainability, while also cultivating a sense of home in new environments. Through these practices, food becomes more than sustenance—it serves as a medium for connection, cultural continuity, and emotional well-being.

We explore how food fosters integration by encouraging dialogue around the intersections of local, national, and global culinary traditions. Our focus is on how these interactions shape belonging, identity, and social cohesion, enriching both personal relationships and public spaces.

Courses Offered

students in ASEC Cultures of Exile This course explores both the concept and context of exile in the contemporary world from the perspective of those who experience it and contribute to transformations of the communities and cultures that shape their identity in exile.
student at fruit stand Food, Migration, and Belonging in Thessaloniki In the Summer of 2024, eleven students traveled to Thessaloniki, Greece in order to study migration and belonging through the lens of food.

Our Outputs

food and migration research Susan Beth Rottmann’s Food and Migration Research Team in Istanbul, Turkey Through in-depth qualitative research with Syrian women, the project endeavors to understand migrant homemaking activities and specifically how food practices change and are involved in integration.
illustration of people in a large gathering Belonging Talks Series on Food and Migration A Belonging Talks series presenting the role of food and cooking in mobile homemaking and for sustainable societies.
Contact Information

Integration and Belonging Hub

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