From Brighton beach to blogs: exploring food-related nostalgia in the Russian diaspora

Abstract

This research presents a qualitative exploration of food-related nostalgia experienced by individuals from Russia and the former Soviet Union in the context of diasporic waves. By varying time and space dimensions associated with nostalgia, the analysis is conceptualized around three “locations”: (1) Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States, (2) Brighton Beach, New York, and (3) cyberspace. Weblogs, demonstrated here to be objects of inquiry, are analyzed according to their nostalgia content, social connections, and community interaction. Nostalgic evocation through traditional cuisine is evident in all three settings. Personal, interpersonal, and cultural nostalgia are apparent in web content, demonstrating a technological role in the creation, sharing, and dissemination of nostalgia. Implications of the study relate to the sociology of food and interdisciplinary food studies, culinary tourism, online and offline marketing, and product distribution into ethnic and international markets.