Master's thesis tourism and Local Food and Beverages

2.5 Theories in this section: 
o 
The researchers have presented some of the major theories related to the study 
components and variables. 
Barthes
‟s 
research titled “Towards a psycho-sociology of contemporary food 
consumption” likes that of Douglas claims that food is a system of communication 
(Wood, 1995, P.14). maintains that the discipline of discursive psychology and food 
sociology in particular are in charge of inspecting how foods and food preparation 
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Chapter 2. Literature Review 
rituals of a specific society manifest a linguistic system responsible for conveying 
social information useful for creating and maintaining the social identity of that 
community. Bourdieu (1984) as cited in Wood (1995, P.18) major contribution to 
sociological analysis of food and eating includes his investigation into the formation 
of taste in relation to different cultural forms such as art, music, clothing and food. He 
believes that taste is a social product, the main differentiator of which is social class. 
Moreover Wood, 1995 also claims that class hierarchy is traceable in the hierarchy of 
taste, and concepts familiar to us like good taste and bad taste are in and of 
themselves the indication of class hierarchy since these concepts are by far 
determined by the people in high positions who are in possession of cultural capital. 
These influential people with the help of cultural capital can ultimately insert their 
cultural world-view on lower classes and in general the whole society. 
o 
It is a generally accepted fact that cultural attractions appeal more to higher 
socioeconomic groups with higher cultural capital. Moreover, according to Kim et al., 
(2007) cultural tourists are usually agreed upon to posses such attributes as being 
wealthy, mature, highly educated, and female. A way to continue the distinction 
between social classes is provided through the consumption of cultural products and 
participation in arts/cultural events, for, as he believes cultural consumption brings 
with itself such benefits as social honor and prestige. Possessing certain level of 
knowledge and familiarity (cultural capital) disproportionately accessible to different 
social classes is the requirement for being an active consumer of cultural products. In 
fact the symbolic meanings attached to the consumption of cultural products are the 
result of this disproportionately gathered cultural capital. The consumption of cultural 
products is a means to represent a communication system which results in the 
stratification of the social classes and empowers the members of the society to create 
and maintain their social relationships. Therefore, Bava (2008) states cultural capital 
is the "particular set of values and knowledge… upon which social hierarchies are 
formed". This statement supports his previous statement which affirms that the people 
with better access to resources of cultural capital are more capable of acquiring „good 
taste
‟. 
Another view held by him claims that people are likely to act in accordance 
with the cultural capital, they are in possession of that is, the accumulation of cultural 
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Chapter 2. Literature Review 
capital in the hands of higher classes, contributes to the practices and ideas of this