Politics of the plate: How an Indian food blog explored issues of identity, community, and food politics during the pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT Immigrants use food blogs to construct and maintain their ethnic identities. During the pandemic in spring of 2020, the Indian food blog Bongmom’s Cookbook, which showcases food from the Kolkata region of India, was my go-to for coping with the sense of uncertainty in the world. The blog and Facebook posts used humor to document meals and family life during the pandemic, while avoiding more difficult topics surrounding the pandemic. Using Bongmom’s blog as an example, this paper argues that the topic of food is fraught with politics. On the one hand, the blog fulfills readers’ emotional needs by helping them connect with their homeland and providing a space for self-care during a crisis, but on the other hand, the absence of discussion on issues such as economic inequality, healthcare, unfair immigration practices, and institutional racism highlights the economic and social divides within the immigrant community.