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- Convenors:
-
Jyrki Pöysä
(University of Eastern Finland)
Maarit Knuuttila (Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences)
- Location:
- Jakobi 2, 110
- Start time:
- 3 July, 2013 at
Time zone: Europe/Tallinn
- Session slots:
- 3
Short Abstract:
Agrarian production and consumption is an old theme of ethnology. What is the place of economy in contemporary ethnological research? How are the narrative aspects of economy taken account of in the ethnological and folkloristic research? How does economy look from the everyday level of the people?
Long Abstract:
Traditional agrarian production and consumption is a classical theme of ethnology (but not so much of folklore). What is the place of economy in contemporary ethnological research? How are the narrative aspects of economy (everyday life experiences, stories and counter-stories about economical cycles, firms, business people and business heros, the success and decline of international companies, reputation of the firms, business gossips and rumours etc.)taken account of in the ethnological and folkloristic research? How does economy look from the everyday level of the people? What kind of agencies and non-agencies are promoted by the multi-national food industry and market chains? What kind of agencies are produced by the alternative economies, new urban farming cooperatives, urban cultivation, local networks for distribution for local products? What is the role of new medias (internet, Facebook etc.) within this kind of new economical activities? Are broader definitions of economy also widening our views on traditional economies?
Accepted papers:
Session 1Jyrki Pöysä (University of Eastern Finland)
Paper short abstract:
In my paper I'm trying to systematize the basic narrative aspects behind cultural discourses about economy: grand narratives or metanarratives of economy and small, everyday narratives of life as a consumer.
Paper long abstract:
My paper is starting point for a project, where we going to deal with the following questions about cultural or ethnological aspects of economy:
How do people understand and explain their everyday behavior in terms of economic discourses, small stories and grand narratives? What effect do prevailing cultural narratives and discourses have on people's actual behavior? How do people view their own agency in relation to economic concepts and models of thought?
How do our broader notions of the economy affect our everyday lives? How do they shape our living spaces, influence how we produce and consume? What kinds of spaces of marketing the idea of "experience economy" advances? What are the consequences of the "new" technology based economy for the late modern working conditions as well as the idea of work and other economic activity?
In my paper I'm trying to systematize the basic narrative aspects behind cultural discourses about economy: grand narratives or metanarratives of economy and small, everyday narratives of life as a consumer. How do different narratives manifest in concrete examples of public discourses and life historical stories?
Sinikka Vakimo (University of Eastern Finland)
Paper short abstract:
My presentation will explore how the auction based frame of interaction shape the course of discussions in a second hand auction pages in internet. I will analyse the ways of positioning oneself and the others in one specific case started by a man selling his wife as a joke.
Paper long abstract:
The aim of my presentation is to explore how the auction based frame of interaction shape the course of discussions in a second hand auction pages in internet. Those auction pages in hand are the most popular, non-professional second hand shopping pages in Finland, actually they have managed to lure lots of devotees and hobbyists as their clients and users. For many people following these everyman's auction pages is not only a meaningful economical effort, but moreover, a new consume based and at the same time social way of life. In order to find out what kind of models or frames of positioning oneself and the others are constructed and formed in the process of making a higher bid, I will analyse one strand of discussions started by a man who offered his wife to be bought in these pages as a joke. The bid made by the man was formulated according to the structure of an ordinary ad including the asking price of 5 euros. This involved numbers of bid dialogies constructed in the spirit of everyday auction and trade, but linked to different topics.
Sophie Elpers (Meertens Institute, Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences)
Paper short abstract:
This paper examines the ways in which constructions of Dutchness are entwined with commercial cultures. It discusses to what extent the use of symbols and icons of Dutchness in the product marketing of the food economy - through which they are experienced in everyday life - works as a kind of nation branding.
Paper long abstract:
In the Netherlands, like in other European countries, we can consider a rediscovery of national essences. What is felt as 'typically' or 'authentically' expressing the nation is gaining new prominence in all parts of life. Economy, especially - but not only - food economy, seems to be a powerful agent in the field of new nationalism: in the promotion of food products people`s desire of the national is capitalized, and the 'Dutchness' of the products is emphasized. If the products themselves seem to be not Dutch enough they are labeled as Dutch by the use of symbols and icons of 'Dutchness'. In this context ideas of what 'Dutchness' is, are constructed by the economy and passed to the consumers.
This paper examines the ways in which constructions of 'Dutchness' are indeed entwined with commercial cultures, taking into account arising dynamics between the local, the regional and the national. It discusses to what extent the use of symbols of 'Dutchness' in product marketing - through which they are experienced in everyday life - works as a kind of nation branding. Furthermore it shows the importance of ethnological research on economy in the field of new nationalism.
Maarit Knuuttila (Jyväskylä University of Applied Sciences)
Paper short abstract:
In my paper I am dealing with the meanings and ideals of re-self-sustainable life style in nowadays Finland. I study the impressions among so called city farmers, who cultivate their plot of land or greenhouses or -boxes in urban environments.
Paper long abstract:
Why are the alternative, "greener" ways of producing food in urban surroundings so popular today? What kind of meanings people give to their activities? Could the phenomena be named as "re-self-sustainability"? The history of the urban plot cultivation in Finland has a long history; maybe as long as the cities themselves. Urban plot cultivation used to be an integral part of dominant self-sustainable lifestyle, which has been a prevailing system in the way of life and especially in food production until the early decades of 20th century. However, today the movements of organic food, ethical production and marketing of products and criticism of the use of urban space have heightened again the interest in producing food in city environments. In my paper I will examine the various motivations behind urban cultivation and cultivators and ask what is the cultural and ideological background for alternative economies and ideals of self-sufficient lifestyles.
Melanija Belaj (Institute of Ethnology and Folklore Research) Jelena Ivanišević (Institute of Ethnology and Foklore Research)
Paper short abstract:
We will try to show how traditional food practices are reinvented and given new meanings in open food market Dolac situated in the center of Zagreb. It is a place where small producers, following season calendar, from whole Croatia bring their food products showing heterogeneity of Croatian food culture.
Paper long abstract:
We will try to show how traditional food practices are reinvented and given new meanings in open food market Dolac situated in the center of Zagreb. It is a place where small producers, following season calendar, from whole Croatia bring their food products showing heterogeneity of Croatian food culture.
In this paper Dolac will be considered as a symbol of town culinary identity, but also as a marker of culinary heritage of all Croatian regions. Above all, we'll discuss its role as a belly of Zagreb in historical perspective and in recent times. Despite of modern food supply chains, where one doesn't know food origin, and the fact that this may cause many food scares and anxieties, Dolac isn't alternative model of food products distribution like it's equivalents in some European countries, but persisting tradition adjusting to present market demands. Cultural and anthropological approach will enable us to see Dolac as anachronic alimentary exhibition, which displays different patterns of sociability and narratives.
Following dynamics of Dolac on daily and weekly basis we'll describe relations between buyers and producers/sellers, with emphasize on buyers trust in short food supply chain, communication between producers/sellers, but also image of Dolac seen by tourist gaze. In recent years image of Dolac, as a market for foodies, transformed in one of the most popular tourist attractions, unavoidable part of all sightseeing tours in Zagreb.
Key words: open food market, Dolac, Croatia, traditional food practices, cultural and anthropological perspective
Ana Piedade (Instituto Politécnico de Beja)
Paper short abstract:
The study aims to understand how social memory is build and imagined and the identity is forged in what food is concerned as well as to understand the social and cultural processes that turn some “poverty food” into “fashion food” and “food of elites” in local contexts of Alentejo (Portugal).
Paper long abstract:
The cultural background builds the games and plays, bodies, tastes and food. And food is most likely one of the aspects that Portuguese people cherish more. Food as ´gaspacho', ´migas´, sweet rice, and many of Portuguese/ 'Alentejanos' deserts which used to be made in the Convents, are an important heritage. In Portugal, food preparation and consumption is one of the family favorite themes when talking about Portuguese identity and experiences and people assumes a valorization of Goan food towards any other culinary tradition and opens a path that allows her talking about their heritage and cultural background.
Each region of the country assumes its identity and subculture concerning food. As Alentejo is a quite poor territory, especially until the seventies of last century, many people migrate to other Portuguese regions. They have denied some poor traditional food which they assumed to be their "poverty" food but suddenly besides bread, olives, olive oil, wine and cheese (products always considered as a must), the dishes of poverty became fashion - locally and in Lisbon. And the "no-food" became the food of cultural and social elites.
For those who refused this kind of food - they did not need to eat that - stories began to be told; shame turned into memory and old traditional knowledge about aromatic plants used as condiments to give a outstanding taste to the mix of water, bread and olive oil ('açorda') became a treasure.
The methodological approach included direct observation, extensive non-structured interviews with chosen informers and documental research.
Nadezhda Rychkova (Kazan National Research Technological University)
Paper short abstract:
The report examines the interrelation of marketing and consumer trends in market of dairy products. Attitude to dairy products and consumer narratives of the Russians and the Tatars regarded as one of the sources of marketing innovations (With financial support of RFH, project № 12-01-00018).
Paper long abstract:
Based on the narrative/discourse approach the traditional and modern attitude of the Russians and the Tatars of the Republic of Tatarstan to dairy products and a place of these products in structure of a feed are analyzed. According to the unstructured interviews have been made ethnic attitude of national dishes, on the basis of the Tatar and Russian proverbs some positions of a culinary code of consumer cultures are formulated.
According to official statistics, and the results of surveys of consumers for the market of dairy products of Tatarstan following consumer trends are characteristic: steady growth of demand; increase of traditional national dishes in structure of food; orientation of the consumer at a choice of dairy production on safety, on healthy feed; changes in situations of consumption of dairy products.
Marketing trends: consumer interest to traditional dairy products are considered in the assortment; growth of a segment of functional dairy products; positioning of brands in view of specificity of consumer preferences; the account of these trends in advertising. Marketing activity considers consumer trends and forms consumer preferences.
In this market it is allocated three groups of marketing innovations that are the source for consumers. The first group is connected with orientation of consumers to a healthy way of life. The second - on satisfaction of need for safety which becomes priority for target consumers. The third group is connected with the demand for ethnicity in structure of a consumer choice. (With financial support of RFH, project № 12-01-00018).