Meat consumption is on the rise in India. However, most studies on meat consumption have been conducted among Western audiences and there are relatively few insights into meat consumption in emerging markets, especially India, which tends to be stereotyped as a vegetarian nation. The aim of this qualitative study was to explore meat consumption practices among urban Indians aged 23-45 years. The sample comprised mainly Mumbai residents. The research methodology used constructivist grounded theory. Semi-structured face-to-face in-depth interviews was the main mode of data collection and the research used an iterative study design along with an inductive analysis approach. A key finding was that while meat consumption is on the rise, there are social stigmas still associated with it. This has led to discrepancies between consumption behaviours occurring in public (frontstage behaviours) and those carried out in private (backstage behaviours). Using Goffman's theory of self-presentation, the study provides insights into various ways in which backstage meat consumption occurs in collectivist Indian society today. The backstage setting can comprise places outside the home, such as restaurants, and in some instances, segregated 'safe' spaces within the home itself. Within these spaces, the study explores how certain consumption taboos are quietly broken while actions are taken to present appropriate frontstage appearances before various audiences. This study contributes to the relatively sparse literature on meat consumption in India while also using Goffman's theory to highlight the discrepancies between public and private consumption behaviours within the collectivist Indian context.

中文翻译：

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“我们必须保守秘密”——印度肉类消费的前台和后台行为动态

印度的肉类消费量正在上升。然而，大多数关于肉类消费的研究都是在西方受众中进行的，对新兴市场的肉类消费的了解相对较少，尤其是印度，这个国家往往被定型为素食国家。这项定性研究的目的是探索 23-45 岁城市印度人的肉类消费习惯。样本主要包括孟买居民。研究方法使用建构主义扎根理论。半结构化面对面深度访谈是数据收集的主要模式，研究采用迭代研究设计和归纳分析方法。一个重要的发现是，虽然肉类消费量在上升，但仍然存在与之相关的社会污名。这导致了公共消费行为（前台行为）和私下消费行为（后台行为）之间的差异。使用戈夫曼的自我展示理论，该研究提供了对当今印度集体主义社会后台肉类消费发生的各种方式的见解。后台设置可以包括家外的地方，例如餐厅，并且在某些情况下，可以包括家中的隔离“安全”空间。在这些空间内，该研究探讨了某些消费禁忌如何被悄悄打破，同时采取行动在各种观众面前展示适当的前台露面。这项研究对印度肉类消费的相对稀少的文献做出了贡献，同时也使用了戈夫曼