Food and Jesuits in the Early Modern Western World

The large number of Jesuit studies have failed to give due attention to the link between the order and food. This simple point, which I shall try to substantiate in what follows, explains why I have thought fit to propose some areas for research, on the basis of my own investigation, trends in historiography and, last but not least, Jesuit sources (published and otherwise). Starting with an analysis of the ideas connected with historical food studies, I will focus on the Jesuits over a time-span from the 1530s to the second half of the eighteenth century, going deeper into the issue of moderation (first part) and the dietary model that developed within the Society of Jesus (second part). I shall adopt an interdisciplinary perspective, with special attention to the contribution of anthropology.