SOCIOCULTURAL ROLE OF NATIONAL CUISINE IN THE FORMATION OF ETHNIC IDENTITY

Abstract

The article addresses the sociocultural role of national cuisine in the construction, maintenance, and transformation of ethnic identity. It argues that food should not be reduced to its utilitarian function of satisfying physiological needs but must be recognized as a powerful cultural code that embodies historical memory, collective values, symbolic meanings, and mechanisms of socialization. National cuisine represents one of the most resilient cultural markers, capable of preserving distinctive features over centuries while simultaneously adapting to external influences such as migration, globalization, and technological modernization. The relevance of this research stems from the insufficient scholarly focus on the interaction between culinary practices and identity-building processes, as well as the necessity of conceptualizing food as a structural element of the sociocultural system. The theoretical foundation of the study combines approaches from food studies, ethnographic and cultural research, and interdisciplinary investigations, which highlight the role of everyday food practices in shaping cultural memory and ensuring intergenerational continuity. The article shows that national cuisines reflect the interaction of geography, climate, historical experiences, and socio-economic conditions, creating unique gastronomic repertoires. Particular emphasis is placed on the symbolic and psychological dimensions of food, including the concept of “comfort food,” which contributes to emotional stability, a sense of belonging, and the preservation of cultural ties in situations of displacement, migration, or crisis. The analysis demonstrates that culinary symbols not only serve as markers of ethnic distinctiveness but also operate as instruments of cultural communication, transmitting inherited values, tastes, and behavioral norms. Thus, cuisine emerges as both a material and spiritual category, linking everyday life with broader cultural narratives. The study concludes that investigating national cuisine from a sociocultural perspective opens new horizons for understanding how ethnic identity is constructed, preserved, and transformed in the context of contemporary global challenges.