Research

Studies and research projects under way in 2017

Eating in times of confinement: an ethnography of food practices during the COVID-19 crisis.

The confinement caused by the spread of COVID-19 experienced by the world population, in general, and Catalan society, in particular, entails new challenges and a reconsideration of the ways of being, existing and relating to each other. This unprecedented context is generating important changes for many of us in the various social practices and relationships that frame everyday life, both individually and collectively, at a micro and macrosocial level.

The act of eating, understood as a complex daily practice deeply interwoven with the symbolic, sociocultural, political and economic dimensions of social life, has become more than central in this context of health alarm, a practice in which new forms of consumption, care, reciprocity, affection, protection and uncertainties are materialized. On the one hand, the first theories of the origin of the virus attributed to zoonosis put Chinese food culture at the center of the debate. On the other hand, the empty shelves of supermarkets have marked the beginning of confinement and food purchases have ceased to be a simple everyday practice. Multiple food and dietary advices invade the most diverse newspapers and social networks, and the problem of flour and yeast shortage in food stores surprises us in a society of abundance. After all, much of our experience in times of coronavirus and confinement are related to eating practices.

Taking into account this context, ODELA, as a group dedicated to the study of  food and health from a sociocultural perspective, has considered this period of great social, political, economic and health importance, and for this reason has decided to launch an exploratory study, within its research line “New trends in food consumption”, in order to understand how the context of confinement is affecting our eating practices and representations.

For this purpose, among other methodologies, we are circulating a small open questionnaire that aims to motivate reflection and invites people to share experiences, practices and emotions in relation to the act of eating during confinement.

Research team:  Marta Ruiz, Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar, Amanda Barba, Sarah Anadon, Cristina Larrea Killinger, Arantza Begueria.

From coexistence to cohabitation in the Torribera Food Campus: food sustainability and social action in Santa Coloma de Gramenet 

Funded by Obra Social La Caixa (Code: AS19-00254).

This project wants to foster intercultural relationships and community development in Santa Coloma de Gramenet, bringing the Torribera Food Campus and the neighborhood community closer together, through the recognition and promotion of healthy eating and food sustainability.

Food is a gateway to foster social and intercultural relations, since “food practices are essential in the establishment and maintenance of human sociability, in personal exchange and reciprocity” (Contreras and Gracia, 2005). In addition, food practices can classify and rank people/groups, as the saying goes “we are what we eat”. Food serves as an element of social distinction, a fact that can serve to distance or approach intercultural realities. Food is, after all, a social tool for transformation and social construction.

At the same time, awareness of healthy eating and sustainability is a global issue and in which we all have to get involved as a society. Francesco Branca, director of the WHO Department of Nutrition for Health and Development, points out the need for collaboration of all actors, including citizens.

The social, economic and cultural diversity of Santa Coloma and the Campus represents a potential to advance jointly and transversally in the right and intercultural recognition of healthy, sustainable and culturally adequate food, as well as to strengthen the fabric and social cohesion.

We propose that the knowledge taught on the Campus be possessed in the service of building a more just, equitable and sustainable society, at the same time that students are nourished by the social experience of their environment. A project of listening and mutual help in order to promote exchanges of knowledge and learning (popular, experiential, scientific) in spaces of equity.

The project aims to weave synergies between the communities of Santa Coloma de Gramenet, offer spaces for community and training dialogue, create spaces for exchange and revitalization between groups with social and cultural plurality, promote awareness about the current food model and articulate responses that enhance healthy and sustainable eating.

Research team: Arantza Begueria, Patricia Messa, Margalida Mulet, Marta Ruiz, Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar.

Local-based tourism and socio-ecological resilience.

Funded by the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Code CSO2017-84893-P).

Organization: Universidad Pablo de Olavide (Sevilla)

The objective is to study the socio-environmental effects of local-based tourism based on the theoretical-methodological framework of socio-ecological resilience. Seven cases are being studied ethnologically in Latin America and Spain. At the same time, it also implies a practical reflection on the usefulness of the socio-ecological resilience concept in the study of sustainability.

 

Barcelona as a tourist issuer. Impact on the Catalan rural area.

 

Funded by the Barcelona City Council.

Co-organization: Alba Sud, Xarxa de Consum Solidari y ODELA.

Research and public policy project on the impact that the city and the metropolitan area of Barcelona has on the surrounding territory in its use as a leisure space.

Perception of the risk of contamination by PTC through feeding in pregnant and lactating women: MUMFOOD study. 

Funded by Servicio de Salud Andaluz de la Consejería de Salud (Code AP-0147-2017).

The project focuses on the study of trust/distrust in food consumption shown by the social actors concerned about the presence of toxic substances (Persistent Toxic Compounds, PTCs) and the responsibilities attributed to the potential long-term effects that these substances could produce on human health. The internal contamination that derives from the impact of these substances has important cultural, social, ideological and economic implications that this project aims to analyze in the universe of pregnant and breastfeeding women, a period of the life cycle in which food is a central issue on women’s health. From an ethnoepidemiological approach, the discourses and practices of pregnant and breastfeeding women will be studied on their daily context. The project aims to deepen into different levels of risk perception of internal contamination according to the role that women assign to toxic corporality in the process of construction of human health transmitted by the consumption of food during pregnancy and breastfeeding. The cultural diversity, culinary traditions, beliefs and values ​​of women will be analyzed in two different contexts: rural-urban in the autonomous communities of Andalusia and Catalonia. Based on a quantitative, qualitative and ethnographic methodology at a comparative level, this research expects to obtain richer and deeper results on the sociocultural context of the limits of acceptance of risk, danger, confidence and distrust in food consumption.

Research team: Andrés Fontalba, Araceli Muñoz, Arantza Begueria, Cristina Larrea-Killinger,Jaume Mascaró, Juan Pedro Arrébola, Lina Casadó, Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar, Mariena Rubio, Miguel Company (Chief Researcher), Montserrat Fábregas, Oscar García Algar, Virginia Gil Aguilar.

Estrategias y acciones para la reducción de las exclusiones de mujeres usuarias de
servicios asistenciales de alimentación.

Funded by the Barcelona City Council (18S03309-001).

Research team: Cristina Larrea-Killinger, Maria Clara de Moraes Prata Gaspar, Úrsula Verthein.

Guia de recomanacions per a la inclusió de les dones als serveis assistencials d’alimentació.

MEDFEST: MED Culinary heritage experiences: how to create sustainable tourist destinations. ODELA – University of Barcelona. Funded by the European Union (Code: 1MED15_3.1_M12_263).

MEDFEST general objective is to create or improve existing strategies relating to sustainable tourism development within the traditional MED small-scale culinary sector. Main aim is to develop sustainable culinary experiences, primarily in rural costal hinterland as a powerful tool to promote “alternative” and sustainable tourist destinations in MED space. Sustainable culinary experiences are alternative tourist food-products that are traditional, respect the local environment and local producers and appeal to the visitors desire for authenticity.

The goal of sustainable tourist offer is not just to attract new visitors but also to increse economic activity in/during the off-season, promote social development of coastal „hinterland“ rural areas and safeguard culinary heritage and awaresess raising on the importance of local produce, processing and knowledge.

Objectives of the MEDFEST project:

1. To find linkages between culinary heritage and sustainable forms of tourism

2. To design new tourist offer in the coastal hinterland and bring sustainable development in off-season months

3. To integrate MED culinary experiences in existing plans and to safeguard it as part of a comon European heritage

For more information: https://medfest.interreg-med.eu.

Research team: Joan Ribas, Jesús Contreras, Oriol Beltrán, Ferran Estrada, Camila del Mármol , Margalida Mulet, Marta Ruiz Pascua, Maria Clara Prata Gaspar.

‘Food consumption and health: impact on maternal and child health of Persistent Toxic Compounds found in food’.

Funded by the Barcelona City Council (17S05083-001).

The project focuses on training and dissemination of information about persistent toxic compounds (PTC) in the health sector, aimed at paediatricians, midwifes, nurses and gynaecologists in primary care and hospital services. Its main goal is to broaden and improve the quality of information on nutrition, including the risks of environmental persistent chemicals during pregnancy, breastfeeding and child feeding, through three kinds of actions: a) training for health practitioners (seminars); b) analysing the discourses and practices of health practitioners regarding nutritional advice (qualitative research); c) production and dissemination of educational and training materials aimed at this sector (best practices guidelines, posters and website).

Research team: Cristina Larrea Killinger (Chief Researcher), Eva Zafra, Juan Pedro Arrébola, Esther Herrera, Araceli Muñoz, Lina Casadó, Miguel Company, Andrés Fontalba, Arantza Begueria, Montserrat Fábregas, Jaume Mascaró, Oscar García Algar, Maria Clara Prata Gaspar.

 Research area: Toxic Body.

 

Malbaratament alimentari a Barcelona: desentranyant i difonent com es produeix. ODELA. Finançat por l’Ajuntament de Barcelona (Consum responsable – Codi 16SO4463-001). IP: Jordi Gascón. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jordi Gascón, Cristina Larrea, Joan Ribas, Carlota Solà.

Confianza y responsabilidad en el consumo alimentario de las mujeres embarazadas y lactantes en España: narrativas y etnografías sobre los riesgos de la contaminación interna por CTP.

Funded by: the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness. (CSO2014-58144-P).

The project focuses on the study of trust/distrust attitudes shown by pregnant and breastfeeding women towards the presence of chemical compounds (Persistent Toxic Compounds) in food, and their assignment of responsibility for the potential long-term effects of these substances on human health. The internal pollution caused by such substances has major cultural, social, ideological and financial implications.

Social agents’ discourses and practices related to mother-and-child food consumption will be studied using an ethno-epidemiological approach. On the one hand, those of health practitioners (gynaecologists, paediatricians, nurses, midwifes, nutritionists, etc.) and other experts (dieticians, pharmacists, alternative therapists, mass media, websites, etc.), support networks (relatives, neighbours, friends, associations, etc.), and on the other hand, those of pregnant and breastfeeding women.

This study aims at taking a deeper look at the social perception of risks associated with synthetic chemical substances found in food and their risks for human health. It also examines the hazard criteria for food consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding, the dietary recommendations and guidance provided by health professionals, specialists, mass media, support networks or individual choices, as well as the variation of eating practices during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Explanatory models of the food process will also be studied: what food items are purchased, why certain items and not others, selection criteria, food preferences, avoidances and cravings, where they are bought, where they are prepared, where they are consumed, how they are kept fresh, what is shared, what is discarded.

In this study, the interplay of social, cultural, historical and financial factors in the shaping of food styles and preferences will be taken into account. Thus the project looks in more depth into the different levels of social perception of internal pollution risk, based on the role that the different social agents attribute to toxic corporeality in the construction process of human health and food. It takes into account social inequalities, cultural diversity, cooking traditions and ideological choices of women in both urban and rural contexts in two different Spanish regions: Catalonia and Andalusia. Using a comparative, qualitative and ethnographic methodology, this research hopes to yield more conclusive results on the sociocultural context of the limits to accepting risks and hazards, as well as trust and distrust in food consumption.

Research team: Cristina Larrea Killinger (Chief Researcher), Eva Zafra, Edda Marimón, Araceli Muñoz, Jaume Mascaró, Aina Palou, Lina Casadó, Montserrat Fábregas, Joan Pedro Arrébola, Miguel Company, Andrés Fontalba, Arantza Beguería, Esther Herrera.

Studies and research projects completed before 2016 (history)

Individualismo y sociabilidad en una Sociedad en crisis: dietas de elección, dietas prescritas, dietas de necesidad y dietas prescritas. ODELA -Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández. Membres del grup de recerca: Jesús Contreras, Bárbara Guidalli, Úrsula Ribeiro, Isabel Aguilera, Maria Clara Prata, Sílvia Bofill, Andrés Molina, Amado Millán, Eva Zafra, Elena Roura, Sara Lucía Pareja i Joan Ribas.

Comer en la escuela y sus circunstancias: aprendizaje, cultura y salud. ODELA- Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández. Membres del grup d’investigació: Sílvia Bofill Poch, Amado Millán Fuertes, Barbara Atie Guidalli, Joan Ribas Serra, Elena Roura Carvajal, Isabel Aguilera Bornand, Ursula Perez Verthein, Sara Lucía Pareja Sierra, Clara Mas, Maria Prata de Moraes Gaspar.

Cuerpos Tóxicos. Epidemiología sociocultural de la contaminación interna por compuestos tóxicos persistentes. Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació.  (CSO 2010-18661). IP Cristina Larrea. Membres del grup d’investigació: Miquel Porta, Jaume Mascaró, Araceli Muñoz, Aina Palou, Arantza Beguería, Eva Zafra.

Conceptualització de l’Observatori Euroregional de l’Alimentació. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per la Direcció General de Relacions Internacional de la Generalitat de Catalunya. IP Jesús Contreras. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Joan Ribas.

Comer en la escuela y sus circunstancias: aprendizaje, cultura y salud. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández. Membres del grup d’investigació: Barbara Atie Guidalli, Eva Zafra Aparici, Joan Ribas Serra, Yolanda Lacasta Sánchez, Núria Fabrellas Padrés, Elena Roura Carvajal, Antoni Massanés Sánchez, Isabel Aguilera Bornand, Marc Ferreira Martín, Roberta Becco de Souza, Carmen Jerez Molina.

Etnografia sobre saberes e práticas da saúde, ambiente e alimentação na comunidade quilombola de Monte Alegre, Cairú, Bahia. Finançat amb permís sabàtic. IP. Cristina Larrea. Aprovat per la Universidade Federal da Bahia.

Violència Masclista a Catalunya. Noves propostes de prevenció a partir de l’anàlisi dels processos de “empowerment” de les dones que han sortit d’una situació de maltractament. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per l’Institut Català de les Dones. IP Jesús Contreras. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Sílvia Bofill, Eva Zafra, Joan Ribas, Barbara Guidalli.

Escassetats, caresties, fams i mortaldats a Catalunya a l’edat Mitjana. Estudi i corpus documental. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per l’Institut d’Estudis Catalans. IP Antoni Riera i Mellis. Membres del grup d’investigació: Riera i Melis, Antoni; Benito i Monclús, Pere (Universitat de Lleida); Fernàndez Traball, Josep (Arxiu Nacional de Catalunya); Soler Sala, Maria (Universitat de Barcelona).

Maneras de comer hoy: La naturaleza de la modernidadalimentaria. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández y Mabel Gracia Arnaiz. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Maria Isabel Gracia, Eva Zafra, Joan Ribas, Yolanda Lacasta, Barbara Guidalli.

Productes de la terra. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Departament Agricultura, Alimentació i Acció Rural, Generalitat de Catalunya. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Jesús; Ribas, Joan; Macke, Ana Maria.

“Trobar menjar se’m feia tan difícil…”: La recuperació de la memòria oral alimentaria a Catalunya (1936-1955). ODELA- Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat Convocatòria AREM, Generalitat de Catalunya. IP Jesús Contreras Hernández. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Alícia Guidonet Riera, Mabel Gracia, Yolanda Lacasta, Joan Ribas, Eva Zafra, Sílvia Bofill

Gènere, cura i salut. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona Finançat pel Ministeri de Ciència i Innovació. IP Silvia Bofill i Eva Zafra. Membres del grup d’investigació: Sílvia Bofill, Eva Zafra, Bàrbara Guidalli.

Alella, celler del bon vi: tècniques vinícoles i organització social. ODELA- Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat pel Departament de Cultura, Generalitat de Catalunya. IP Joan Ribas. Membres del grup d’investigació: Joan Ribas.

La recuperació de la memòria oral alimentaria durant la guerra civil i la postguerra (1936-1955). ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per la Generalitat de Catalunya. IP Alícia Guidonet. Membres del grup d’investigació: Alícia Guidonet.

Comemos como vivimos. ODELA- Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per la Generalitat de Catalunya. IP. Jesús Contreras, Mabel Gracia. Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Mabel Gracia, Alícia Guidonet, Elena Rubio, Eva Zafra, Joan Ribas, Barbara Guidalli.

Alimentación, salud y estilos de vida. ODELA- Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat porALEX – Alimentaria Exhibitions. IP Jesús Contreras.Membres del grup d’investigació: Jesús Contreras, Sílvia Bofill, Yolanda Lacasta, Mabel Gracia, Joan Ribas, Alícia Guidonet.

Elecció d’aliments i preparació de menjars: autonomia i qualitat de vida a la tercera edat. ODELA – Universitat de Barcelona. Finançat per Unió Europea. IP. Jesús Contreras. Membres del grup de recerca: Sílvia Bofill, Yolanda Lacasta i Joan Ribas.

Networks

ODELA has extensive experience in interdisciplinary collaboration and teamwork.
Several publications presented by members are based on work done by authors from
different fields of specialization, as this report shows. Also, as previously mentioned,
ODELA brings pre- and postdoctoral researchers onto the team and invites them to
participate in ongoing projects, which usually leads to joint publications..

For years, ODELA has undertaken and maintained collaborations with various research groups at the international level, in particular:

REDE NAUS (Rede Iberoamericana de Pesquisa Qualitativa em Alimentaçao e Sociedade).

A network that brings together research on food and culture being conducted at academic institutions in Latin America, Portugal and Spain.

OCHA (Observatoire CNIEL donis Habituds Alimentaires, París-França)

An observatory of eating habits and a resource and research centre revolving around the human and social sciences, with the focus on food, food systems, and relations between humans and animals (www.lemangeur-ocha.com). Researchers ODELA works with: Veronique Pardo, J. P. Poulain, Claude Fischler and J. P. Corbeau. 

IEHCA (Institut Européen d’Histoire et des Cultures de l’Alimentation)

The IECHA is a scientific development agency that works in the human and social sciences and carries out food studies. Researchers ODELA works with: J. P. Williot, Marc de Férriere and Loïc Biennasis.

ENCAFE (European Network for the Comparative Analysis on Food and Eating).

ENCAFE is an international network that connects research groups in different European countries which focus on the sociology and anthropology of food: consumption, health, food production and eating behaviours. Collaborators: Denmark: University of Copenhagen and Aarhus University (Dr Lotte Hölm); Sweden: University of Uppsala; Norway: SIFO – National Institute for Consumer Research (Dr Unnie Harnes); United Kingdom: University of Manchester (Dr Alan Warde); France: Université de Toulouse–Le Mirail (Dr J. P. Poulain).

OBHA (Observatorio Brasileiro dos Hàbitos Alimentares, Brasilia-Brazil)

Supported by the Fiocruz Foundation, the OBHA is an observatory that studies the social, cultural and economic factors that come into play in food decisions. The observatory also has a particular interest in food production technology, nutrition, dietetics, and issues related to health and body aesthetics. Researchers ODELA works with: Dr Denise Barros.

OBSERVATORIO DE LA ALIMENTACIÓN (Universidad Autónoma de México – Xoximilco)

This observatory focuses on the study of eating behaviours in Mexico and how they are related to the health of the country’s diverse ethnic and socio-economic groups. Researchers ODELA works with: Dr Míriam Bertran.

MSAT (Mestrado de Saúde, Ambient i Trabalho, UFBA, Salvador de Bahía, Brazil)

MSAT works within the framework of a research collaboration agreement, focusing on studies on health and nutrition in traditional communities: quilombolas (Maroons) and fishing communities. Researchers ODELA works with: Carminha Freitas and Rita Riego.