Tun Tan Cheng Lock Centre for Social and Policy Studies
| Space, Identity and Foodscapes in the Coffeehouses of Penang 21 November 2016 |
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 There is a proliferation of new independent cafes in recent years in Penang, Malaysia in spite of the ongoing popularity of traditional coffeehouses and international coffee chains on the island state. There are in general 3 waves of coffee culture used commonly among people in the specialty coffee industry. First wave refers to mass-produced coffee when coffee consumption grew exponentially. In terms of Malaysia´s coffee scene, the first wave would include coffee in traditional coffee shops (kopitiams). The second wave movement was the introduction of espresso beverages and is linked to international coffee chains. Third wave coffee culture considers coffee as an artisanal beverage instead of a commodity. With the ever-growing number of these contemporary spaces, the significance that space have on how society uses the seemingly mundane act of eating not only for self-sustenance but also as an expression of their lifestyle is in question. The talk aimed to discuss the longue durée of lifestyle change in traditional and contemporary spaces of food consumption and production. |