Pool ’26 and Greenberg Co-Author Book Chapter on Culinary Diplomacy
Public policy and political economy major Joseph Pool ’26 collaborated with religion professor Yudit Greenberg on research exploring how shared meals can bridge cultural and religious divides—work now published in a new academic volume.
February 19, 2026
The chapter titled “Sharing: Culinary Diplomacy: Settling Religious Feuds Through Food” was recently published in The Bloomsbury Handbook of Religion and Food, the result of a student-faculty research collaboration that began the summer after Pool’s first year at Rollins.
Pool’s interest in the topic was sparked during his first year, when he enrolled in two of Greenberg’s courses—Food and Religion and Food and Dining in Antiquity. Inspired by the academic exploration of food’s cultural and spiritual significance, he continued the conversation beyond the classroom, partnering with Greenberg to study culinary diplomacy—the idea that shared meals can serve as powerful tools for bridging interreligious and intercultural divides.
Their research highlights how food has historically played a central role in peacebuilding, cultural exchange, and even economic partnerships.
“Food is the most fundamental way we let our guard down and learn from one another,” says Pool. “It gives us common ground to start conversations, but it also allows each of our identities and ideologies to shine.”
Pool presented their findings at the Parliament of the World’s Religions in 2023, while on campus, Pool has translated scholarship into action. In 2023, he founded Breaking Bread, a student organization dedicated to fostering community and dialogue through shared meals. The group quickly became one of the fastest-growing student organizations at Rollins, drawing more than 100 members in its first week. He also serves as president of the Student Government Association and is a Ginsburg Fellow, continuing to create spaces where conversation and connection can flourish.
“By creating shared spaces and experiences, we can combat blind hatred and turn it into fuel to address the problems of tomorrow together,” he says.
For Pool, what began as a classroom topic has evolved into published scholarship, campus leadership, and a growing vision for how something as simple as a shared meal can help shape a more connected world. Leading these initiatives has strengthened Pool’s interest in pursuing law and a career in food policy.
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