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1	Meaning in Transition: An Ethnographic Study of the Cultural Construction of Health, Identity and Brands among Young Adults Taylor, Elizabeth Lee 12 1900 (has links) This study explored the lived experience of Gen Z adults in a liminal life-stage crisis where the symbolic meaning of health, identity and brands are in transition. Sixteen ethnographic in-home interviews with college students were conducted and analyzed using Geertz's interpretive and Turner's symbolic anthropology. A hermeneutic textual analysis was used to interpret three types of phenomenological data: text, pictures and collages. An "incubation" step was key in the creative interpretation process where the leap from data to abstract themes was made. Environmental circumstances like money, time, resources and social networks change the quality of health, but the fundamental health explanatory system of a young person is a reflection of their family of origin experiences. Women associate health with mental health-independence and empowerment. Men define health as physical health-food and cooking. Skills such as cooking and shopping as well as the consumption of water, cannabis and other complementary products impact health and identity. Three health worldview themes emerged: health as negotiating identity; creating home; and taking responsibility. Implications for branding and public information campaigns to change the health beliefs and practices of young adults are offered. This thesis closes with a reflection on the "research study," the dominant symbol in the practice of research as a way to analyze the fluid role of consumer anthropology in a capitalist system. health cultural construction young adult family of origin Gen Z liminal life-stage crisis symbolic symbol, meaning ethnographic ethnography college student Geertz interpretive Turner anthropology hermeneutic phenomenology health explanatory system water cannabis complementary health worldview home branding public information beliefs practices consumer Anthropology, Cultural Health Sciences, General Business Administration, Marketing

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Meaning in Transition: An Ethnographic Study of the Cultural Construction of Health, Identity and Brands among Young Adults