Consuming ideology: food, the body and the nation

In this film, Ian and Maiken begin our exploration of how ideology and propaganda travel into the most intimate aspects of our personal lives: clothing, eating, and sexual behaviour. The first topic we focus on are the politics of food. We go through some of the British Library’s collections of historical pamphlets to analyse how and why the British government made it its business to encourage people to grow and consume certain foods during the Second World War.

Please use to comment function to share your thoughts on this topic. Is the politicisation of food culture unique to times of war and conflict, or can you think of peacetime examples where what and how we should eat has been subject to political intervention, directly or indirectly? And is it legitimate and sensible for political actors to try and guide such choices, or should they remain ‘private’?

© British Library.