Browsing by Author "Larjavaara, Hanna"

Commensality has been studied from many different perspectives and there is broad agreement on its benefits. The use of food waste as part of food aid and participatory forms of activity that differ from the traditional bread lines has, in turn, raised a lot of discussion and divergent opinions. The aim of this study is to review and describe this contradictory field through one case and to include the voice and perspective of food aid recipients. The purpose of this study is to examine the role and importance of eating together (commensality) and food waste in the context of food aid, and how individuals experience them at the Common Table. In addition, this study scrutinized whether the Common table can strengthen community spirit and develop social capital among the customers and volunteers. The study was a qualitative case study and the subject was approached by ethnographic method. The material of the study consisted of participatory observation and the resulting diary record, 57 questionnaire replies, five transcribed individual interviews, and a group interview of nine persons. In addition, three interviews were conducted to create the background information of the case. The material was analyzed by qualitative content analysis. The main result of this work was that eating together and communal meals like lunches offered by the Common table were regarded as desirable ways of organizing food aid. However, the diversity of food aid activities was also seen necessary in order to reach all kinds of people in need. The results showed that the social contacts and connections with other people offered by commensality were important for the visitors. The food aid bag was also important to some of the visitors. Both the lunch eaters and volunteers saw that the Common strengthens communality and thought that using food waste as a resource for food aid is a positive thing. Community-oriented food aid can help to reduce inequality and increase the social capital among those in the community.