[Last modified: October, 18 2024 05:31 PM]
As a university student conducting fieldwork on coffee consumption and cafe culture on campus, I am keenly aware of how my own experiences and assumptions shape my approach to this research. Indeed, my positionality as both an “insider” within the student community and as a Chinese woman significantly influences how I interpret the behaviors and rituals I observe in the cafe.
Firstly, being a student, I share many experiences (common sense) with my participants. Like them, I like to spend time in the cafe, whether it be for study purposes or just to take a break, as well as I frequently purchase coffee to help me stay alert and focused in class, which inevitably gives rise to presumptions that could bias my interpretation of the data. Expressly, I might unconsciously assume that coffee drinking is a universal behavior among students or that everyone enjoys spending time in cafes for relaxation or productivity—because that is what I do. However, I recognize that these assumptions may not hold true for all students. Some may not consume coffee, others might view the cafe differently—as a place for socializing rather than productivity.
Moreover, as a Chinese woman in a Western academic environment, my cultural background further shapes my positionality in this research. Despite my adoption of the prevalent coffee-drinking behaviors in this setting, it’s crucial to acknowledge that a large proportion of Chinese students prefer milk tea over coffee. Much like coffee is essential in academic contexts across the UK, milk tea is also very important to Chinese students in their social and cultural life. From this, this difference in cultural preferences leads me to reflect on how international students from similar backgrounds might interact with campus cafe differently. For some, the absence of milk tea as a widely available option may influence how they engage with the cafe environment or whether they feel fully integrated into the coffee-centric culture prevalent in Western universities.
Significantly, although I have embraced the custom of drinking coffee in this setting, it is crucial to acknowledge that a large number of Chinese students prefer milk tea over coffee. Reflecting on these differences prompts me to question my initial interpretations and reminds me to remain open to the diversity of student experiences that might not align with my own.
Together, this reflexive approach prompts me to challenge my assumptions about the universality of coffee consumption among students and recognize the cultural specificity of such practices, making me more cautious and mindful when interpreting the data. Rather than viewing coffee drinking as a mundane, routine act, I now see it as a practice imbued with cultural meaning and social norms that may not apply universally. The cafe, as a site of social interaction, reflects these broader dynamics of cultural inclusion and exclusion, particularly for students with different backgrounds or preferences.