Section Article

Sociology of Food Trends: Rise of Veganism in Non-Western Societies
Author(s): Ritesh Kashyap

Abstract
The rise of veganism in non-Western societies marks a significant shift in global food cultures ethical consumption and identity politics. Once seen primarily as a Western trend rooted in animal rights movements and environmental concerns veganism is now being adopted and adapted in regions like South Asia East Africa Southeast Asia and Latin America. This paper investigates the sociological dimensions of veganism’s emergence in non-Western societies focusing on how historical food traditions religious beliefs class dynamics globalization and digital influence shape the trajectory of this movement. Drawing upon qualitative interviews social media analysis and cultural observation across India Kenya Thailand and Brazil the study reveals that veganism is not simply imported from the West but reinterpreted through local moralities health narratives and ecological anxieties. The findings highlight how veganism becomes a site of negotiation between modernity and tradition global ethics and local realities and consumerism and conscious living. The paper argues for a decolonized understanding of food trends that acknowledges the agency of non-Western actors in shaping their dietary futures.