http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/keyword/food Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 02 May 2026 03:05:42 -0400 Sat, 02 May 2026 03:05:42 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1829/construction-of-asian-identity-in-restaurant-menus-a-case-study By Mika Skibinsky - This paper explores the meaning and implications of “Asian” in the context of American restaurant menus. I determine what kind of language in dish descriptions, specifically ingredients and adjectives, indexes a restaurant or dish as “Asian.” Then, building on Mapes (2018), I observe how “Asianness” is constructed and performed using key discourse strategies, which I divide into two parts: Constructing “The Other” and Constructing “The Comfort Zone.” I then discuss how the construction of “Asianness” indexes the restaurant... Thu, 29 Oct 2020 09:56 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1829/construction-of-asian-identity-in-restaurant-menus-a-case-study http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1712/food-insecurity-and-the-threat-to-global-stability-and-security-in-the-21st-century By Michael DeFeo - In 2010, over 250,000 Syrian farmers were forced from their land due to water shortages. Lack of water left these farmers dangerously food insecure, so they moved, en masse, into Syrian urban centers. This strained an already overburdened infrastructure which increased tensions between urban dwellers and the displaced farmers (El Hassan, 2014). One year later, the Syrian Civil War began, which has killed over 500,000 Syrians and has destabilized the entire country. Since then, the Islamic State has conquered swaths of land through terror campaigns, rebel and Syrian military clashes have left thousands... Thu, 07 Dec 2017 09:25 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1712/food-insecurity-and-the-threat-to-global-stability-and-security-in-the-21st-century http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1692/the-effects-of-institutional-and-political-instability-on-civil-war-in-south-sudan By Michael DeFeo - Political and military instability plague South Sudan, but economic depression and mass starvation have resulted from the civil war as well. Cutting off oil production sent the economy into a recession it has not recovered from. International sanctions designed to force the government to provide aid to its people, combined with political upheaval have decimated the South Sudanese economy. Corruption amongst political and military elites has diverted foreign aid to just a few kleptocrats rather than the starving population. Even in relatively stable regions, food insecurity is rampant. Controversy... Thu, 02 Nov 2017 10:30 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1692/the-effects-of-institutional-and-political-instability-on-civil-war-in-south-sudan http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1669/cacao-cravings-europes-assimilation-and-europeanization-of-chocolate-drinking-from-mesoamerica-1492-1700-ce By James C. Miller - Chocolate is a foodstuff that many people in the modern world take for granted; the sweet treat can today be found plentifully and cheaply in practically any store all across the globe, especially in the Euro-American world. Despite its commonplace, most people do not know exactly where the addictive confection came from and how it became a near staple of industrialized, modern societies. Many in the ‘Western World’ would be surprised to learn the true origins of chocolate and how it first became a European craze. Chocolate was a confection made mostly from powder that originated from... Fri, 27 Oct 2017 12:08 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1669/cacao-cravings-europes-assimilation-and-europeanization-of-chocolate-drinking-from-mesoamerica-1492-1700-ce http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1649/remote-sensing-satellites-as-a-solution-towards-anticipating-food-and-water-wars By David C. Harary - In December 1948, the United Nations adopted the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which recognized the universal human right to food. Most recently in July 2010, the U.N. General Assembly adopted resolution 64/292 that recognized the human right to water as well. While food and water are of vital importance to the security of individual nations, over 700 million people lack adequate access to these basic resources.2 Alarmingly, anthropogenic induced climate change is expected to further undermine human security3 through a reduction of available food and water across particular geographic... Mon, 22 May 2017 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1649/remote-sensing-satellites-as-a-solution-towards-anticipating-food-and-water-wars http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1537/the-economic-argument-for-expanding-gmo-regulation-in-america By Daniel M. Weinzapfel - The necessity to grow crops faster and more efficiently has long been a goal for the agriculture industry. Now, through the development of GMOs, this goal is being achieved. However, many critics doubt the reputation of GMOs, instead arguing that we must be more wary of the relatively new science. Overall, the general trend among scholarly authors is that GMOs should be regulated more strictly, as the benefits of increased GMO regulation outweigh the state of the current system. Most scholarly discussions have moved past the perspective that GMOs should be regulated because of health concerns... Thu, 09 Feb 2017 11:38 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1537/the-economic-argument-for-expanding-gmo-regulation-in-america http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1554/nutritional-communications-across-climates-a-comparative-research-study-between-ecuador-and-the-netherlands By Morgan Messelink - A study in May 2014 analyzed food labels in Quito, Ecuador, to better understand the culture's nutritional communication. The study explored what is considered to be a healthy diet in Ecuadorian culture and how this is communicated, and also to what extent nutrients in packaged food are effectively communicated via labelling. Data was gathered using a mixed methods approach; first using quantitative methods with a survey administrated to students at the Universidad San Francisco de Quito. Following the completion of the survey, participants were then asked to volunteer for a questionnaire containing... Sun, 30 Oct 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1554/nutritional-communications-across-climates-a-comparative-research-study-between-ecuador-and-the-netherlands http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1446/the-burrito-behemoth-chipotle-mexican-grill-and-its-model-for-success By Nealay Vasavda - Chipotle Mexican Grill has revolutionized the fast food industry. In a short time, the brand has served as inspiration for the growing "fast casual" segment of the food industry and has become an American cultural phenomenon. Through its use of social media and corporate social responsibility marketing strategies, the brand has adapted to a growing segment of the consumer market and has taken the United States by storm. Today, Chipotle has turned its focus to its presence as an international brand. This paper analyzes Chipotle's marketing tactics, how they were applied to its London branches as... Tue, 31 May 2016 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1446/the-burrito-behemoth-chipotle-mexican-grill-and-its-model-for-success http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1364/instagram-and-branding-a-case-study-of-dunkin-donuts By Kally A. Lavoie - One of the newest social media tools available to brands is Instagram, a mobile app that allows users to capture and share images and videos with followers (Instagram, 2015). Officially launched in October 2010, Instagram gained 1 million users within its first month, and the app had 300 million active monthly users by April 2015 (Costill, 2014; Instagram, 2015). As a largely visual social media tool, Instagram allows businesses to reach consumers and strengthen its brand in new ways. This case study aimed to discover how Dunkin' Donuts used Instagram to strengthen their brand. This study analyzed... Thu, 18 Feb 2016 04:32 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1364/instagram-and-branding-a-case-study-of-dunkin-donuts http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1529/effects-of-conventional-and-organic-agricultural-techniques-on-soil-ecology By Nate Van Beilen - This paper explores the differing effects that conventional and organic agriculture have on soil ecosystems. The findings are primarily based on a review of published literature found in journal articles and government reports. Conventional agriculture is found to generally have higher yields than organic agriculture. However, the monetary benefits of high yielding conventional agriculture systems use monoculture cropping, tilling, pesticides, and fertilizers that have a significant negative effect on the natural processes soil ecosystems. As a result, these natural process need to be replaced... Sun, 31 Jan 2016 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1529/effects-of-conventional-and-organic-agricultural-techniques-on-soil-ecology http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1578/pollinating-prices-estimating-the-relationship-between-honeybee-population-and-almond-prices By Seth Taylor - This paper examines the potential effect of decreasing honeybee population on crop prices by estimating the relationship between honeybee population and the price of almonds over time. As a declining honeybee population becomes an increasingly salient issue, the public must be aware of the potential impacts that honeybee population loss can have on society, including rising crop prices. Understanding the economic impact that honeybee loss can have on consumers and industry is critical to limiting the severity of that impact over time. Using data on honeybee population and almond prices from the... Thu, 31 Dec 2015 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1578/pollinating-prices-estimating-the-relationship-between-honeybee-population-and-almond-prices http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1316/foodservice-experience-and-tipping-behavior-further-evidence-of-wage-inequality-between-tipped-and-non-tipped-workers By Katherine S. Fisher - This study focuses on the relationship between prior foodservice experience and a person’s tipping behavior. Using data from a survey of 500 University of Maryland undergraduate students, an analysis is completed by regressing restaurant experience and waiting experience on perceived average tip percentage while controlling for gender and ethnicity. A positive, significant relationship is found between the two independent variables regarding work experience and the dependent variable. This research is an attempt to illustrate the wage-inequality between tipped workers and non-tipped workers... Wed, 02 Dec 2015 10:28 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1316/foodservice-experience-and-tipping-behavior-further-evidence-of-wage-inequality-between-tipped-and-non-tipped-workers http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1584/indias-anti-gmo-rhetoric-wielding-gandhian-thought-to-undermine-corporate-capitalist-agriculture By Julia Sullivan - As a predominantly rural and densely populated developing nation, India is positioned at the vanguard of the global debate surrounding GMOs. As concerns related to food security mount, what transpires in India is of great importance. Citizens' collective memory of the country's colonial experience and Gandhi's role as an independence leader, however, have made for a poignant encounter with biotechnology. A range of diverse anti-GMO civil society groups have risen to the fore, some of which, despite not having come together on a cohesive campaign, articulate their organizational objectives through... Sun, 31 May 2015 12:00 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1584/indias-anti-gmo-rhetoric-wielding-gandhian-thought-to-undermine-corporate-capitalist-agriculture http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1131/instabranding-shaping-the-personalities-of-the-top-food-brands-on-instagram By Kate Ginsberg - Instagram is a growing social media platform that provides a means of self-expression and communication through creative visuals. Businesses are responding to this trend by using it as a cost-effective marketing tool. This paper examined the accounts of the leading food brands on Instagram: McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Shredz, Ben & Jerry’s, and Oreo. Photos were classified according to 11 elements: product, person and product, people and product, humor and product, world events, recipes, campaign with no products, user-generated, regram from a celebrity, and video. They were further... Sat, 30 May 2015 11:59 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1131/instabranding-shaping-the-personalities-of-the-top-food-brands-on-instagram http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/977/consumption-the-role-of-eating-in-rehabilitation-in-the-memoirs-a-million-little-pieces-and-two-kinds-of-decay By Ezekiel J. Leeds - The relationship between the self and food intersects at the meal, and this vital connection represents—physiologically, psychologically, and socially—one of the most transformative of human acts. This essay seeks to discuss the depiction of food and the self in the memoirs of Sarah Manguso’s “The Two Kinds of Decay” and James Frey’s “A Million Little Pieces” in terms of rehabilitation and the recovery process. The impact of food on a person’s recovery can be reflected in their physical self-representations and in their social functioning,... Tue, 30 Dec 2014 02:28 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/977/consumption-the-role-of-eating-in-rehabilitation-in-the-memoirs-a-million-little-pieces-and-two-kinds-of-decay http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/965/important-distinctions-between-labels-and-certifications-and-why-they-matter By Inho Choi - When browsing the grocery aisle, consumers are bombarded with and confused by a myriad of special labels. “Organic,” “whole grain,” “all natural,” and “cage-free,” are just some of the more popular ones. Originally intended to help consumers differentiate products by communicating meaningful information about what the products contain and how they were produced, these labels now merely confuse consumers while giving retailers the opportunity to charge premiums on specially labeled items. Clearly, there is a need to educate the general public about... Tue, 09 Dec 2014 08:47 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/965/important-distinctions-between-labels-and-certifications-and-why-they-matter http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1037/representations-of-american-culture-in-food-advertisements-in-mainstream-latina-and-african-american-magazines By Laura Van Drie - This study analyzed 54 advertisements for food products, grocery stores and restaurants in nine major women’s magazines in order to gain understanding of the values of American ethnic groups. The author divided the magazines by audience (mainstream, African-American, and Latina), and then coded the advertisements for themes like family, community, and nutrition. Food advertisements in mainstream magazines frequently emphasized that nutritious, delicious food could be part of a busy lifestyle, whereas ads in Latina magazines associated food with family, and advertisements in African-American... Sun, 30 Nov 2014 12:00 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1037/representations-of-american-culture-in-food-advertisements-in-mainstream-latina-and-african-american-magazines http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/922/how-much-should-i-tip-restaurant-tipping-behavior-as-a-result-of-prior-foodservice-experience By Katherine S. Fisher - Tipping is a customary practice in the U.S., but many have questioned why customers are so willing to give money away to a server in the foodservice industry. Previous literature has explored factors that influence tipping behavior, such as social norms, age, gender, ethnicity, and intrinsic and self-presentational reasoning. This study observes a relationship between tipping behavior and prior employment in the foodservice industry. Using survey data from 500 University of Maryland students, the study finds that those who have worked as a waiter or waitress believe that the average tipping percentage... Mon, 06 Oct 2014 11:32 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/922/how-much-should-i-tip-restaurant-tipping-behavior-as-a-result-of-prior-foodservice-experience http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/951/understanding-organics-at-the-grassroots-level-an-analysis-of-ecuadorian-and-canadian-perceptions By Jason Bradshaw - There is a growing public concern over the genetic alteration and use of chemicals in conventionally produced agriculture. The perceived risk of such agricultural production has prompted the rising popularity of organic alternatives in both developed and developing nations. These products are defined by their reliance on traditional means that do not require the use of harmful chemicals or pesticides in their production. The organic movement in South America has been defined not only by perceived risks, but also by a desire to preserve traditional ways of life. This is accomplished through grants... Tue, 30 Sep 2014 04:36 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/951/understanding-organics-at-the-grassroots-level-an-analysis-of-ecuadorian-and-canadian-perceptions http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/967/the-gm-crop-network-an-overview-of-the-environmental-political-economic-and-human-health-contexts-surrounding-bt-corn By Alexander Razavi - Plant science, agriculture, and human medicine are all disciplines linked to the GM conversation, but is this connection the same for economics and politics? How do seed patenting rights, pursuits to increase farm yields, and global food demands affect the cultivation of these crops? Complexity can indeed quickly overshadow this dialogue about genes and food, further increasing the existent barrier between food producers and consumers. Thus, evaluating the overall success of genetically modified crops requires a case-by-case analysis and an evaluation of their respective agricultural, human health... Wed, 25 Jun 2014 12:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/967/the-gm-crop-network-an-overview-of-the-environmental-political-economic-and-human-health-contexts-surrounding-bt-corn http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/964/is-the-switch-to-organic-soybeans-possible By Chris Everett - Soybeans first appeared on the world stage when Chinese farmers began cultivating them around 1100 B.C. (North Carolina Soybean Producers Association, Inc.). The plant quickly spread to the rest of Southeast Asia and became an integral part of the regional diet. In the 1700s, the soybean debuted in Europe, occurring only after the success and subsequent demand for soy sauce. Soybean cultivation in the United States began in the late 1700s, but it wasn’t until the late 1800s that soybeans were planted on a large scale and, even then, they were usually used as forage for livestock (North Carolina... Wed, 25 Jun 2014 12:01 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/964/is-the-switch-to-organic-soybeans-possible http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/890/the-consequences-of-food-waste By Kyra K. Payne - The copious amounts of forgotten and disregarded food that are tossed mindlessly into our landfills are a global travesty of massive proportions. Americans alone waste enough food in a day to transform the Rose Bowl, a football stadium capable of seating 90,000 people, into a landfill (Bloom, 2010). As an affluent nation, securely cushioned by wealth and privilege, America expends vast resources to feed its population, producing over 590 billion pounds of food annually and simultaneously squandering between 25 and 50 percent of the food that is produced (Bloom, 2010). In a recent study by the... Tue, 22 Apr 2014 10:52 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/890/the-consequences-of-food-waste http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation By Betsy C. Chadbourn - Among the questions that have attracted my attention during my theological career thus far, nothing has struck me more forcibly than the possibility of asceticism existing in the modern world. Modern asceticism initially appears an absurdity. A non-existent. Something of the past, along with the once thriving Christian religion that laid its foundations. Before, we associated the ascetic with monkish values, the valorisation of chastity, a life of deprivation. Repulsion toward the flesh. Hostility for food. Enmity on all we call pleasure. Yes, modernity is surely an exodus from such; a secular... Fri, 14 Mar 2014 04:53 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/867/asceticism-in-the-modern-world-the-religion-of-self-deprivation http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/858/the-price-of-development-the-importance-of-preserving-local-agricultural-lands By A. Rachelle Foss - Regardless of the fact that we have long been warned of the negative impact of industrial farming, rural communities are being wiped out as local producers, like Riverbend Gardens, are put at risk in favour of urban expansion. The industrial food production industry is unsustainable, leading to increased energy consumption and food costs because of the gross use of energy to transport food hundreds kilometres from where it is produced. Toxic chemicals used to combat swarms of pests that are nurtured by acres of single crop farming have lead to the increase of these substances in our environment... Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:39 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/858/the-price-of-development-the-importance-of-preserving-local-agricultural-lands http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/856/roots-tendrils-sprouts-and-shoots-a-case-study-of-parkallens-community-garden-a-permaculture-project By Marlene Wurfel - The first growing season of Edmonton’s Parkallen Community Garden began in Spring 2012. We transformed an unused strip of lawn bordering our hockey rink into a loamy, thriving “edible food forest” of corn, beans, squash, kale, tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, apple trees, and mammoth sunflowers. It is unlike most community gardens in that individual plots are not tended by individual gardeners; rather, the PCG is tended communally, by the community. The garden is open and accessible to the community, always, and all are welcome there, from the toddler whose only contribution is to... Mon, 13 Jan 2014 11:04 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/856/roots-tendrils-sprouts-and-shoots-a-case-study-of-parkallens-community-garden-a-permaculture-project http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1083/food-security-in-the-contemporary-world-making-security-sustainable By William Barnes - The concept of food security is dynamic; it has been changing to incorporate new ideas over the years since it was established. In this piece, I will argue that if cultural acceptability is to be added as a tenant of food security then so must sustainability. Cultural acceptability addresses the needs of various ethnicities, for example providing kosher foods for the Jewish population and halal foods for the followers of Islam. Since there is a new focus on the environment with initiatives such as the Kyoto Protocol, this piece concludes further that sustainability should also be an integral part... Wed, 01 Jan 2014 07:58 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/1083/food-security-in-the-contemporary-world-making-security-sustainable http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/847/toward-a-more-sustainable-food-supply-network-an-economic-analysis-of-sustainability-in-the-united-states-food-industry By Morgan Bulger - In order to determine the current state of the industrial food system, both a quantitative survey and a qualitative interview were conducted and administered to various food corporations in the United States. These surveys assessed the corporations’ current awareness, attitudes, and actions in regards to analysis to the data collected, it becomes clear that perceptions of risk and directly affect the degree of sustainable action that a given corporation takes. Additionally, the relationship between vertical integration and sustainable of sustainable action is the ability to recognize environmental... Sat, 21 Dec 2013 03:29 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/847/toward-a-more-sustainable-food-supply-network-an-economic-analysis-of-sustainability-in-the-united-states-food-industry http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/959/sustainability-through-urban-gardening By Tami Ambury - Three visions of attaining sustainability through urban gardening – at the individual, community, and city level – are explored visually by MacEwan University Design Studies students–Molly Kassian, Nick Larson, and Sherece Burma–in their final project for Visual Communications Photography (VCPH) 340, Documentary Photography. This article emphasizes the process through which these students decided upon their project, located and interviewed their subjects, and created their visual composition. It also outlines the students’ increased awareness of, interest in, and... Mon, 30 Sep 2013 04:37 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/959/sustainability-through-urban-gardening http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/721/planetary-survival-in-the-21st-century-confronting-land-degradation-biodiversity-loss-and-climate-change By Ezra Ho - Everywhere, everyday we are reminded of the planetary crisis. Ice caps melt, forests are decimated, species go extinct and extreme climatic changes threaten the survival of human civilization. We desperately need a new narrative – a compelling vision of sustainability where we get a happily-ever-after ending. But where are we now? In the crazed pursuit of financial and material progress, Gross Domestic Product has grown exponentially. But to be sure, the Gross Depletion of the Planet is also at an all time high. Population growth and increasing resource demands are placing ever more pressure... Tue, 15 Jan 2013 10:22 EST http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/721/planetary-survival-in-the-21st-century-confronting-land-degradation-biodiversity-loss-and-climate-change http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/653/food-love-and-death-in-normans-night-mother By Megan P. Kaplon - Marsha Norman’s 1983 play‘night Mother is full of food imagery and references. From the opening stage directions to Jessie’s constant kitchen chores, food is intertwined in every moment of the play. Norman’s food references serve to show what is missing in the lives of Jessie and her mother Thelma and the ways they fill these holes with food. Jessie and Thelma have different strategies for this substitution, one creating through consumption, the other through preparation, but with close analysis through the lens of food advertising and psychological associations with food... Sun, 17 Jun 2012 06:29 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/653/food-love-and-death-in-normans-night-mother