A feminine pastime: how middle-class women in Singapore navigate cafe subculture

• Main Authors: Thamilselvan, Kayshini, Lee, Annette Kai Zhen
• Other Authors: Stephen Campbell
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Social sciences::Sociology
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/169099
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

The emergence of cafe subculture over the past few decades has changed how middle-class women interact with one another and partake in food and drink. Cafes have developed into a hub for social interaction, a place where these women can meet friends, network, or just escape the stresses of daily life. A distinct subculture reflecting the shifting social dynamics of Singaporean cafe consumption has emerged as a result of the proliferation of cafés. This study intends to explore the importance of cafe subculture in the lives of middle-class women, analysing how these women utilise cafes to negotiate their social identities, engage in cultural consumption, and develop a feeling of community, through the lens of concepts such as cultural capital, identity, and gender.