Abstract
This theme track examines the transformative role of food migration in shaping cultural identity, ecological systems, and practices of belonging through a food design lens. Building on The Transformative Nature of Food: Adaptation, Connectivity and Identity (Daou & Sarantou, 2026), it conceptualises food as a dynamic, designed system that evolves across geographies through processes of adaptation, connectivity and identities. As food travels, it connects people to both their original homeland and to the existing and emerging cultural identities, to develop a sense of belonging to local ecosystems. Food migration reinforces cultural continuity, political and social cohesion and belonging while influencing the ecological ecosystem as new ingredients, practices, and systems are integrated into the existing environment. Addressing this paradox, the track invites transdisciplinary and transcultural design research in food design, global health, and pluriversal design to explore how food practices addresses this relational connection between people and their environments. In addition, the theme track will explore the role of design in supporting more sustainable, inclusive, and health-oriented food futures for communities and their ecosystems.
Keywords
Food Design, Design Research, health and well-being, Identity, Pluriversal Design
DOI
https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.186
Citation
Daou, D., de Souza Libanio, C., and Montalván Lume, J. (2026) The Transformative Nature of Food – Adaptation, Connectivity and Identity, in Simeone, L., Gray, C. M., Verhoeven, A., de Götzen, A., Bakırlıoğlu, Y., Zohar, H., Stead, M., and Buwert, P. (eds.), DRS2026: Edinburgh, 8–12 June, Edinburgh, United Kingdom. https://doi.org/10.21606/drs.2026.186
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Included in
The Transformative Nature of Food – Adaptation, Connectivity and Identity
This theme track examines the transformative role of food migration in shaping cultural identity, ecological systems, and practices of belonging through a food design lens. Building on The Transformative Nature of Food: Adaptation, Connectivity and Identity (Daou & Sarantou, 2026), it conceptualises food as a dynamic, designed system that evolves across geographies through processes of adaptation, connectivity and identities. As food travels, it connects people to both their original homeland and to the existing and emerging cultural identities, to develop a sense of belonging to local ecosystems. Food migration reinforces cultural continuity, political and social cohesion and belonging while influencing the ecological ecosystem as new ingredients, practices, and systems are integrated into the existing environment. Addressing this paradox, the track invites transdisciplinary and transcultural design research in food design, global health, and pluriversal design to explore how food practices addresses this relational connection between people and their environments. In addition, the theme track will explore the role of design in supporting more sustainable, inclusive, and health-oriented food futures for communities and their ecosystems.