Solidarity and Perceived Justice in the Disaster Kitchen: Social Capital and Trust in Post- Earthquake Food Sharing

Abstract

In the aftermath of an earthquake, food is not merely a means of survival but also a domain where social relations are forged, solidarity becomes visible, and inequalities surface. This study examines the food-sharing behaviors observed by actors involved in aid processes following the February 6, 2023, Kahramanmaraş-Türkiye earthquakes through the concepts of solidarity, social capital, and perceived justice. The study uses a qualitative descriptive design, conducting semi-structured in-depth interviews with 21 NGO and public-sector staff members and volunteers who worked in the affected region and analyzing the data thematically. The findings reflect disaster kitchens from the perspective of those who managed and observed distribution, with these actors’ accounts being used to indirectly access survivor behaviors. The findings show distribution to have evolved from initial chaos toward an order in which a sense of fairness was established and volunteering to have served as both an operational workforce and a means of coping with trauma. Food aid mostly circulated within individuals’ close circles (bonding social capital), whereas fair distribution became difficult wherever bridging social capital was weak. The involvement of local leaders, particularly muhtars (neighborhood leaders), facilitated needs assessments but carried a risk of bias. Because the disaster coincided with Ramadan, aid organized around the Suhoor and Iftar meals, along with the emphasis on religious and cultural appropriateness, revealed food to have retained its cultural significance even in the midst of a crisis. The study contributes to food culture scholarship by framing disaster kitchens as a practice of solidarity and identity.