Story objects: An interactive installation to excavate immigrant history and identity through evocative everyday objects

Most modern globalized societies are characterized by large immigrant communities. While previously the assimilation of immigrants was often connected to "unlearning" the original cultural background, today's acculturation processes are marked by digital media, which support identity-forming by empowering communication. On the other hand, digital media often strengthen difficulties in inter-generational communication. The authors explore the use of digital interactive media to foster inter-generational communication and the transfer of cultural and historic knowledge. Story Objects is an installation that presents aspects of immigrant history alongside an individual family history leveraging food traditions and memories as a starting point to stimulate the viewers on multiple levels to engage in communication about the larger topic of immigrant identity.