Changing food culture: an exploration of food vlogging in Bangladesh

Abstract

In recent years, Bangladesh has witnessed rapid shifts in media consumption, digital connectivity, and cultural expression, particularly among younger generations. Within this context, this thesis explores the evolving landscape of Bengali food culture through the rise of food vlogging in Bangladesh. Drawing on interviews with food vloggers across diverse regions, including Dhaka, Bogra, Chittagong, Barisal, Rajshahi, Cox’s Bazar, and the Bangladeshi diaspora in Malaysia, this study investigates how digital platforms are reshaping traditional culinary narratives, influencing patterns of food appreciation and consumption, and introducing global food trends. Employing a multidisciplinary framework grounded in the works of Sidney Mintz, Arjun Appadurai, and Fabio Parasecoli, alongside theories of representation, taste, and media by Stuart Hall, Pierre Bourdieu, and Marshall McLuhan, the research highlights how food vlogging serves as a site for the reinterpretation and recontextualization of traditional cuisine. The findings reveal that vloggers play a key role in negotiating between local food traditions and global culinary influences, contributing to an emerging hybrid food culture. Moreover, the study emphasizes how digital media facilitates new forms of culinary storytelling and identity-making in contemporary Bangladesh.