Hybridization in the Eating Habits of International Students in Türkiye

Authors : Mehmet SALİ

Pages : 132-143

Doi:10.26650/SJ.2023.43.1.0100

View : 47 | Download : 43

Publication Date : 2023-06-30

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :The aim of this study is to reveal the changes in the eating habits of international students who’ve interacted with Turkish cuisine. Accordingly, data were collected between June and August 2021. The analysis results of the data obtained from 443 participants in the study revealed changes to have occurred in the eating habits of international students after their interaction with Turkish culinary culture. These changes were found to have been shaped around gastro-anomie and to have manifested as irregularity, anxiety, and uncertainty in eating habits, as well as hybridization through interactions between their own food culture and Turkish culinary culture. Some important points of emphasis in the study are that hybrid eating habits are not limited to Türkiye and that these students had continued their contact with Turkish cuisine upon returning to their home countries; thus, hybridization lasted longer than expected. In addition, the study also obtained findings within its scope regarding international students’ perceptions toward Turkish cuisine and which foods appeal to their tastes.
Keywords : International Students, Turkish Cuisine, Hybridity, Hybridization, Eating Habits, Food Culture