History Lives On: Three Essays on Enduring Legacies

This thesis explores how events from the past continue to shape today’s politics, society, and culture. It shows that communities with stronger resistance to Mussolini’s dictatorship in Italy later supported democracy more. In the U.S., Chinese restaurants helped improve attitudes toward Chinese immigrants during a time of exclusion and hostility. Finally, it reveals how European cooking traditions reflect long-term economic and cultural changes. Using new historical data, the research uncovers how everyday experiences—like political resistance, dining out, and food preparation—leave lasting marks on how societies evolve.