Recollecting Identity: Food, Culture, Space and Place in the Street Markets of Hong Kong
Abstract:
The thesis research investigates the importance of culture and placemaking in defining food urbanism in the rapidly changing and developing region of Hong Kong that has a culture at risk of disappearing. Considering current government revitalization projects and the removal of local street markets, the research analyzes food urbanism through the lens of food and culture, in relationship to space and place, specifically investigating the impact of a disappearing food and culture on the future of Hong Kong's hybrid identity and the implications of revitalization projects on the expression of culture. Building upon previous scholars who have identified the social, political, and economic struggles that Hong Kong has faced after the political change in 1997, the globalization of the Hong Kong international hub image in the 2000s, and the impact of the most recent 2019 pandemic, the research looks at the impact of food and cuisine in defining a hybrid culture and identifying the intangible cultural knowledge for future generations, while also looking at urban development through patterns of placemaking. Focusing on the street markets and its development and disappearance over the years, the research looks at understanding food urbanism as a cultural structure through examining the city from a bottom-up approach and community engagement rather than current government initiatives that implement international brands and businesses within existing infrastructure. The thesis uses literature, historical research, and official government policies, along with observational narratives of the local street markets to demonstrate the culturally vibrant and socially active undermined urban landscape vital to the Hong Kong identity. Amid the disappearing phenomenon and the inevitable development of the international hub, the project provides an insight to the establishment of street markets throughout history and places importance on its relationship to the cultural and placemaking aspects of food urbanism, ultimately giving acknowledgement to those who are at the core of the informal economies that are part of the Hong Kong hybrid identity.
The
examining
committee
is
as
follows:
Supervisor:
Eric
Haldenby
Committee
member:
Val
Rynnimeri
Internal-external
reader:
Sifei
Mo
External: Angie
Ng
The
defence
examination
will
take
place:
Tuesday,
April
11,
2023,
9:00
a.m.
This
will
be
taking
place
in
person
in
the
Loft
at
the
School
of
Architecture.
The
committee
has
been
approved
as
authorized
by
the
Graduate
Studies
Committee.
A
copy
of
the
thesis
is
available
for
perusal
in
ARC
2106A.