01617nas a2200169   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002100001900043700001600062700002100078245010500099856014300204300001200347490000600359520106200365022002001427                                       d1 aSurinder Phull1 aWendy Wills1 aAngela Dickinson00aIs It a Pleasure to Eat Together? Theoretical Reflections on Conviviality and the Mediterranean Diet  uhttps://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84945245815&doi=10.1111%2fsoc4.12307&partnerID=40&md5=51b3a07bcb49e5a856f66ef01238ae30  a977-9860 v93 aIn 2013 the Mediterranean Diet was recognized by UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage of Spain, Greece, Italy and Morocco. Conviviality - the pleasure of eating together - was recognized as the cornerstone of food culture in the region. Although the concept of commensality has been explored widely in the literature, studies on conviviality and convivial dining are almost non-existent. This review explores the concept of conviviality and its significance in relation to the Mediterranean Diet. It draws on sociological and anthropological literature to define conviviality and to address the perceived benefits of eating together as well as the social constraints on pleasurable meals. The paper draws upon the work of French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu and his ideas of Habitus, Field and Cultural Capital, examining how these concepts relate to pleasurable eating and conviviality. It offers an interdisciplinary perspective on who and what makes conviviality happen and the potential obstacles to the experience and promotion of convivial dining.  a17519020 (ISSN)