Communication, migration and development:

a study about the food culture of Brazilians abroad mediated by ICTs

Abstract

This paper is about the relationship between communication, migration, and sustainable development, focusing on the commercialization of Brazilian food in virtual groups of migrants on Facebook. The objective was to analyze how these businesses articulate identity construction, belonging, and entrepreneurial strategies, in dialogue with the creative economy. In theoretical and methodological terms, a qualitative and exploratory approach was adopted, with systematic observation of six virtual groups formed by Brazilians residing abroad, selected based on their destination city and origin in Brazil. Content related to Brazilian food culture was examined, considering the frequency of posts, motivations, narrative and visual elements, interaction patterns, and comments. The results indicate that the commercialization of food goes beyond income generation, configuring itself as a communicational and cultural practice that strengthens identities, produces belonging, and sustains transnational ethnic microeconomies anchored in the ‘immigrant ethos’.