Building Communities through Food

Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital

David F. Purnell

Building Communities through Food: Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital examines the power of food as a communicative tool to bring people of diverse backgrounds together. David F. Purnell argues that food enables people to look past their differences and focus on their similarities, thus creating a stronger sense of community via the sharing of a meal. The preparation, presentation, and ingredients of meals reflect a concrete representation of our individual identities and offer others an opportunity to share and take part in those identities. Scholars with an interest in family communication, interpersonal communication, and sociology will find this book especially useful.

Lexington Books

Pages: 146 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4985-5890-7 • Hardback • June 2019 • $85.00 • (£65.00)

978-1-4985-5891-4 • eBook • June 2019 • $80.50 • (£62.00)

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Social Science / Sociology / General, Social Science / Culture

Building Communities through Food

Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital

Hardback

Summary

Building Communities through Food: Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital examines the power of food as a communicative tool to bring people of diverse backgrounds together. David F. Purnell argues that food enables people to look past their differences and focus on their similarities, thus creating a stronger sense of community via the sharing of a meal. The preparation, presentation, and ingredients of meals reflect a concrete representation of our individual identities and offer others an opportunity to share and take part in those identities. Scholars with an interest in family communication, interpersonal communication, and sociology will find this book especially useful.

Details

Lexington Books

Pages: 146 • Trim: 6½ x 9

978-1-4985-5890-7 • Hardback • June 2019 • $85.00 • (£65.00)

978-1-4985-5891-4 • eBook • June 2019 • $80.50 • (£62.00)

Subjects: Language Arts & Disciplines / Communication Studies, Social Science / Sociology / General, Social Science / Culture

Author

David F. Purnell is independent scholar of communication studies.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1— Family Dinner: A Literature Review of Shared Meals

Chapter 2—Connections: The Bonding Agent of Food

Chapter 3—Gathering Places: Homes as Third Places

Chapter 4—Boundaries: The Exclusiveness of Inclusivity

Chapter 5—Social Capital: Giving More Creates More

Chapter 6—Collaboration: Working for a Better Community

Chapter 7—Community: The Purpose of Eating

Chapter 8—Practice: Think&EatGreen Community

Reviews

Within today’s increasingly diverse society, Purnell’s book shows how the ordinary act of eating can have extraordinary potential for dissolving personal prejudices, strengthening shared communities, and building a healthier world for future generations.
— Jacob Jenkins, California State University Channel Islands

Building Communities through Food

Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital

David F. Purnell

Building Communities through Food

Strengthening Communication, Families, and Social Capital

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