Ingredients of Integration: A Study of Collaborative Cooking Classes as Mechanisms of Social and Cultural Integration of Syrian Refugees in Germany

Over the past few years, the United States and much of Europe have fallen into political turmoil in the face of the largest global refugee crisis since World War II. In the midst of growing social, cultural, and political... [ view full abstract ]

Over the past few years, the United States and much of Europe have fallen into political turmoil in the face of the largest global refugee crisis since World War II. In the midst of growing social, cultural, and political tensions, some have sought creative ways to mend such divides and prevent further social and cultural schisms. My research examines a method of integrating refugee and host communities in Berlin, Germany through collaborative cooking classes. Focusing on two cooking classes led by Syrian refugees, I examine how social relationships emerge from these interactions and study the role that food plays in facilitating these social interactions. A close analysis of these events and of nine follow-up interviews conducted with participants from these classes reveals various mechanisms of promoting sociability and communitas. I implement a holistic approach to analyzing these cooking classes by considering how these interactions function as rites of passage, rituals of reversal (Turner 1969), social dramas (Turner 1957), and exchanges of different forms of capital (Bourdieu 1986) in which food plays a central role. Through this analysis, this study reveals the extensive potential of collaborative cooking for fostering social interaction among distinct cultural groups and offers insights into the practical uses of food and cooking to these ends.