The Italian Way by Douglas Harper and Patrizia Faccioli - Essay Example

? Book Review: The Italian Way by Douglas Harper and Patrizia Faccioli Book Review The following is a book review on “The Italian way: food and social life by Douglas Harper and Patrizia Faccioli. This book review attempts to identify the question(s) that the authors sought to answer. In addition, this book review attempts to evaluate the significance or importance of the book especially with respect to sociology. An overall argument as well as tools used in proposing the arguments form part of this review. Lastly, this book review winds up with affirming the position of the paper in respect to arguments proposed in the book. In their book, Harper and Faccioli (2009) aimed at finding answers to different sociological questions in respect to Italian food and social life. Amongst the questions that the authors wanted to find their answers included preparation of Italian foods in different contexts such as regional and national identify, sacred versus profane contexts, and scarcity versus plenty, as well as the idea of how labor, power, and love correlate within Italian social life. Within these contexts, Harper and Faccioli (2009) wanted to find out how Italian food correlated to different scenarios. For instance, Harper and Faccioli (2009) wanted to identify and evaluate how Italian food was prepared during periods where there was plenty of food on one hand and during scenarios when food was scarce in another hand. In addition, Harper and Faccioli (2009) wanted to establish the motivation and organization that was attributed to the creation of Italian meals. Other than the above concerns with respect to Italian food and social life, Harper and Faccioli (2009) sought out to research how Italians make food whilst considering both material and cultural ways. It is obvious that Italian food preparation is highly determined by available materials as well as the cultural aspects (De Luca, et al., 2005). For instance, there is food stuff associated with the north while in other areas; there is food stuff associated with the south. All these formed the basis of conducting the research in a bid to finding answers thereby making conclusions and recommendations on the same. Harper and Faccioli (2009) also had interests in examining the role or significance of structure within organization of food-based social life in addition to attributed simultaneous improvisation. Lastly, the researchers wanted to find out how people differ in their dedication to cooking as well as commitments to different aspects of cuisine. All these aspects of the study were aimed at creating an understanding of the Italian way of life through considering their foods and social life (De Luca, et al., 2005). By answering these concerns, Harper and Faccioli (2009) met or attained their main objectives of the research or study. Reading through this book and findings by Harper and Faccioli (2009), it is clear that food within Italy explains the social life of Italians. The research by Harper and Faccioli (2009) transverse different areas that are directly influenced by Italian foods hence making it easy to understand how Italians and interact in respect to food. No doubt, this book creates an understanding of various relationships such as regional and national identity of individuals through the use of foods (De Luca, et al., 2005). Food is one of the basic needs that mankind needs. It is also true that on the perspective of food, it becomes possible to fully understand a society better (Harper and Faccioli, 2009). From the findings of this book, it becomes explicitly clear that Italian food can be used to explain social life of Italians. As such, it is possible to use food in order to explain social lives of different communities within the global spectrum. Harper and Faccioli (2009; p14) claims that “food is a center through which concentric circles of cultural meanings are organized.” In this assertion it is clear that for every community or culture food is usually considered as the center of understanding cultural perspectives and orientations of the said community. Food has been used to give an explanation of the Italian culture. Therefore, in this case, food can be used to explain cultural orientation of different communities as it has been used by Harper and Faccioli (2009) in evaluating and explaining Italian cultural orientation. This book is therefore very significance in understanding social lives of different individuals and communities irrespective of the geographical location (Harper and Faccioli, 2009). Consequently, the findings in this book can be used by people from different disciplines such as humanities, social sciences, as well as cultural studies amongst others. The overall argument of this book is that through food it is easier to understand the social and cultural life or a given society or community. Harper and Faccioli (2009) use food to describe various perspective of Italian culture. Through their research, Harper and Faccioli (2009) found out how Italians relate to food within different contexts. The study also discovered that from perspective of food, it is easier to explain different relations for instance, the correlation or relationship between regional and national identity (De Luca, et al., 2005). Different foods are used for different occasions hence portraying a cultural perspective and orientation of the Italian people. Therefore, through food, Harper and Faccioli (2009) have been able to argue out the perspectives or orientations of Italian culture. Moreover, Harper and Faccioli (2009) argue that the delicate balance that occurs between structure of Italian tradition and the joy of various aspects of improvisation is Italian table, food. Through food, it becomes easier to evaluate various perspectives relating to cultural orientation of a given society as it has been achieved by Harper and Faccioli (2009). This therefore, forms the epicenter of the argument in this mouth-watering book. In order to push forward with their main argument, Harper and Faccioli (2009) use different tools of arguments. Such tools include the framing principle, deductive, and inductive amongst others (Knowles and Smith, 2007). Framing principle is the idea of using words to persuade audience or readers of given texts in a bid to not only establishing a stand but also influencing such persons to take the same stand. Framing analysis persuades audiences and readers into accepting prepositions of various individuals (D'Angelo and Kuypers, 2010). Through applications of national and historical frame, Harper and Faccioli (2009) argue in favor of food being an epicenter into explaining concepts of Italian cultural orientation. Through these framing principles, many readers or audiences are attracted into believing that food can be used to vividly explain cultural orientation of a given community (D'Angelo and Kuypers, 2010). Framing analysis or principle is a method that has been used by many leaders to influence their subjects into accepting their ideologies. Therefore, Harper and Faccioli (2009) are trying to influence people into accepting their prepositions through the use of national and historical frames. Deductive and inductive reasoning, which are usually part of researches or studies have been applied within this book. Harper and Faccioli (2009) employed the use of deductive and inductive reasoning to explain the position of food and Italian culture. Whereas deductive reasoning involves making of conclusions from true aspects of the study, inductive reasoning on the other hand involves the idea of making conclusion through induction process (Mauk and Metz, 2010). Harper and Faccioli (2009) have used both the induction process and the already known truths to come up with logical conclusions regarding applications of food as a way of explaining cultural orientations of not only Italians but other communities within the global spectrum. Already known truths were found from different persons that the researchers interviewed in a view to obtaining required data and information (Knowles and Smith, 2007). Other than framing analysis, deductive, and inductive reasoning, Harper and Faccioli (2009) used the idea of visual sociology in order to provide an in-depth explanation of the concepts or main argument of the book (Kornblum, 2011). Visual sociology involves the use of photographs, films, as well as videos in studying a given society together with its visual artifacts. Harper and Faccioli (2009) engaged in the use of visual sociology as a way of providing visual evidence on the various aspects of Italian cultural orientation as well as traditions. Visual evidences within sociology are regarded as some of the best ways of giving true facts regarding the aspects under study (Kornblum, 2011). In this book, there are different photographs that Harper and Faccioli (2009) claimed to have used in a bid to providing necessary evidence regarding Italian food and how it can be used to explain their cultural orientation. Therefore, through the use of visual sociology, Harper and Faccioli (2009) have been able to convince the audience as well as the readers in understanding various aspects of tradition and cultural orientation. In conclusion, there is no doubt that food is an epicenter within cultural and traditional orientations of given communities and individuals. Sociologists, humanists, and social scientists can use the idea of food to identify specific aspects of cultural and traditional orientations and perspectives of individuals. Arguing that food is the epicenter of every society’s cultural and traditional orientation therefore is true. Any individual interested in finding specific aspects of traditional and cultural orientation and perspectives of a given community should embark on identifying foods and relationships between food and different contexts such as scarcity and plenty amongst others. Understanding such concepts will make it easier for sociologists and other interested parties to explicitly explain traditional and cultural orientations of the society of community in question. Bibliography D'Angelo, P. and Kuypers, J., 2010, Doing News Framing Analysis: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives, Routledge, New York, NY. De Luca, T., Paganelli, A., De Luca, F. & Carruthers, L., 2005, The Italian Way: Cooking with the De Lucas, Studio Publications, London, UK. Harper, D. and Faccioli, P., 2009, The Italian Way: Food and social life. The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, London. Knowles, E. and Smith, M., 2007, Understanding Diversity Through Novels and Picture Books, Greenwood Publishing Group, Inc., Westport, CT. Kornblum, W., 2011, Sociology in a Changing World, Wadsworth, Belmont, CA. Mauk, J. and Metz, J., 2010, Inventing arguments, Cengage Learning, New York, NY. Read More