Narrative Inquiry and Food-Based Community for International Students at an Ontario College

This article explores how narrative inquiry, as a research method, can elicit rich qualitative data that contributes in significant ways to understanding feelings of belonging among post-secondary international students. More specifically, the article describes a 2025 mixed-methods study (funded by an internal grant) on the relationship between food, identity, and community for international students enrolled at Conestoga College, not to analyze the findings of that publication, but rather the narrative-based aspects of its methodology. The study included community consultations, a student survey (N = 332), and a series of writing events during which researchers solicited student narratives (N = 164). Research was conducted in the context of unprecedented internationalization at the college that resulted in a substantial population of students at an elevated risk of food insecurity and its concomitant problems. The narrative inquiry component of the study demonstrated that food plays an important role in the lives of Conestoga’s international students as a representation of cultural heritage, a connection to family, and a potential pathway to community belonging. Here, we discuss how inviting students to share stories about their own experiences via narrative inquiry is a research approach that not only resulted in a more thorough understanding of their concerns than traditional research methods typically allow, but also one that expressed to students the value of their voices. This article highlights the benefits and reflects on the inherent challenges of narrative inquiry as a meaningful avenue for pursuing social justice research, using our 2025 project as a case study.