First Meals and Last Meals: Vehicles of Food Meaning
Conference Year
2024
Abstract
In this research, I examined the significance of the first meal eaten upon release from incarceration, as it may reflect changes in the meanings of food during the period of incarceration. Using last meals to serve as a comparison helped to explain comfort food and degrees of agency to better understand first meals, allowing for an analysis of the similarities and differences between both meals. Including a museum virtual tour of significant art by Julie Green, reviewing the literature in depth, and open forum observational study with formerly incarcerated individuals gave insight to the role of first meals upon release from incarceration and the degree of agency previously incarcerated individuals have over food.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Teresa Mares
Status
Undergraduate
Student College
College of Arts and Sciences
Program/Major
Individually Designed
Primary Research Category
Arts & Humanities
First Meals and Last Meals: Vehicles of Food Meaning
In this research, I examined the significance of the first meal eaten upon release from incarceration, as it may reflect changes in the meanings of food during the period of incarceration. Using last meals to serve as a comparison helped to explain comfort food and degrees of agency to better understand first meals, allowing for an analysis of the similarities and differences between both meals. Including a museum virtual tour of significant art by Julie Green, reviewing the literature in depth, and open forum observational study with formerly incarcerated individuals gave insight to the role of first meals upon release from incarceration and the degree of agency previously incarcerated individuals have over food.