ПЕЛЬМЕНИ or 饺子? [PELMENI] OR [JIAOZI]? Dietary Acculturation among Russian Immigrants in Beijing

Emerging multiculturalism in China's metropolitan areas implies people's frequent engagement in intercultural contacts and, therefore, creates a need for a mutual acculturation between the migrants and the host society. This research aimed to contribute to the study of immigrant adjustment in China by exploring the patterns of dietary acculturation among Russian immigrants residing in Beijing. The research was framed as an explorative qualitative case study and employed Berry’s acculturation model as a theoretical basis. This model draws on the dichotomy between ethnic identification and acculturation in order to distinguish four strategies of
acculturation: assimilation, separation, integration, and marginalization. Acculturation strategies framework was applied to food preferences of Russian immigrants in three food-related contexts: everyday consumption, preparation, and New Year celebration. As a result, integration was defined as a predominant acculturation strategy of the group. However, it was also revealed that the patterns of dietary acculturation altered considerably depending on the context of consumption. Overall, the findings of the study demonstrated a complex, dynamic, and multidimensional nature of the acculturative processes.