Food exerts a profound influence on global social, economic, and cultural dynamics, particularly in the context of migration. There is a growing interest in analyzing the intricate interaction between food practices and migration, given the central role this connection plays in individual, family, and community experiences. Understanding this relationship is crucial to grasp the social, health, and identity-related consequences of transformed food practices (e.g., the migrant paradox), and to effectively address the challenges and opportunities arising in multicultural contexts. This scoping review, conducted in accordance with the PRISMA extension for Scoping Reviews methodology, offers a comprehensive overview of the social science literature on food practices and migration. Studies were eligible if they addressed the relationship between food practices and migration, focusing on human mobility and food-related activities, without restrictions on methodology or type of migration. Out of 698 records screened, 76 studies were analyzed using the socio-ecological model. The review highlights how food practices intersect with individual, familial, and community dynamics, shaping identity, adaptation strategies, and participation processes among migrants. Key themes include socio-demographic and psychological factors, intergenerational transmission and gender roles within families, and the role of food-related spaces and initiatives in fostering belonging and collective well-being. The analysis revealed a dearth of studies focusing on migrant families and food practices within the family context. Longitudinal and comparative designs are needed to trace how food practices evolve across time, generations, and contexts, and to build solid theoretical frameworks that can inform inclusive and context-sensitive policy interventions.

The present study explores the role of food as a symbolic, material, and relational device in identity construction and community processes. This study draws on a qualitative case study of a community-based social restaurant located in a mid-sized city in central-northern Italy. The initiative’s objective is to promote the social and labor inclusion of migrant women through training and experiential programs. The research, conducted over a period of nine months from October 2024 to June 2025, was based on a participatory qualitative design, which integrated semi-structured interviews, ecological maps, photointervention, world café, and affective cartography, involving 35 participants including operators, trainees, local community members, and politicians. The results demonstrate the multifaceted role of food practices at the restaurant, which serve to strengthen internal relationships, regulate community life, construct intercultural narratives, and establish spaces of recognition and agency for the women involved. Moreover, the restaurant has been shown to have the capacity to influence the broader social representations of migration in the urban context, thereby promoting processes of cohesion and belonging. It is evident that food-related activities manifest as quotidian micro-political practices, which have the capacity to subvert stereotypes, recognize frequently unseen abilities, and generate new forms of inclusive citizenship. The present study underscores the transformative capacity of initiatives that employ food practices as innovative instruments for fostering empowerment; well-being; and social participation; through the third element of food. The limitations and future prospects of the present situation are discussed; with particular reference to the need to ensure continuity and institutional sustainability for similar experiences.

La movilidad urbana de las mujeres cuidadoras de personas dependientes se enmarca en una trama de variadas desigualdades de género que vulneran directamente su derecho a la ciudad. En este trabajo ilustramos una experiencia de investigación cualitativa que, aplicando la técnica walkscape, nos permitió acompañar una de las habituales caminatas que realizan dos mujeres cuidadoras por la ciudad. Con ello se buscó comprender cómo se percibe el espacio y cuáles son las relaciones que lo cruzan al momento de realizar una movilidad urbana del cuidado. Los resultados muestran todos aquellos desafíos que las cuidadoras enfrentan al iniciar el espeso tránsito entre el espacio privado y el público al momento de cuidar. Además, las cuidadoras requieren de una serie de andamios o apoyos que hagan posible concretar la práctica del cuidar en modo de movilidad urbana. Finalmente, se describen las características que tienen los espacios de refugio en la ciudad y que facilitan el ejercicio de la práctica del cuidado en movimiento. Concluimos que la experiencia de habitar, en el marco de una “cuidadanía”, debería considerar las necesidades de todos los sujetos y situar la práctica del cuidado en el centro del derecho a la ciudad.

Given the high concentration of ethnic and cultural diversity in Italy, various national policies have been implemented to foster migrant integration. However, local authorities play a crucial role, as they are directly responsible for translating policy frameworks into concrete practices and mediating between institutions, families and communities. This study employed a mixed‐methods design, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, to examine how 86 local administrators (80.23% female; M _age = 48.27 years, SD _age = 11.48, range: 25–71) from different municipalities in the Emilia‐Romagna region in Italy perceived and managed issues related to migrant integration within their local contexts. Findings revealed that administrators generally perceived diversity as a resource and actively promoted integration through education and community engagement initiatives. Persistent challenges included limited political participation and structural constraints in youth‐focused policies, highlighting the need for more sustainable, coordinated and inclusive approaches. These insights emphasize that systematically monitoring and comparing local practices is essential for designing responsive, evidence‐based integration policies that produce meaningful outcomes for diverse communities.

In times of increasing insecurity, women often emerge as key figures in coping with crises through contexts of care. This article aims to critically reflect on how food and specific forms of food activism, such as Ollas Comunes, allow for a rethinking and re-evaluation of traditional gender roles related to food. These roles, which are deeply embedded in social and cultural narratives, constitute the foundation of shared social representations. Historically, women's participation has been constrained to the private and domestic spheres, with a focus on matters related to household management and food preparation. Nevertheless, women's social movements of care that focus on environmental, food, and basic needs issues are gaining prominence and creating spaces for activism and resistance. The literature indicates that women's groups, frequently emerging from pre-existing informal networks, serve as vital resources during emergencies, providing a crucial service that is implicitly included in reconstruction policies. Their proactive involvement is based on a broad and deep knowledge of everyday realities and responds to the specific needs of the target community. These women-generated spaces, in which food serves as a central symbol and resource, allow women to respond to immediate needs, share ideas and knowledge, and promote community resilience. Despite significant challenges, including those related to legitimacy and social integration, these movements continue to develop and organise, becoming essential vehicles for social support and community resilience. This critical analysis demonstrates how food, through women's activism, can serve as a potent instrument for empowerment for these social actors who are acknowledged in the public sphere. The innovative actions undertaken by these groups address not only basic needs but also promote the creation of material and social structures capable of redefining women's gender roles in care and society. This, in turn, makes them more powerful and influential.