Sajna Miah and Shazna Hussain

Vintage Meredith & Drew biscuit tin filled with Ambala Asian sweets

University of Sussex food and feminist specialist Elaine Swan, and community researchers from the Women’s Environmental Network (WEN) Sajna Miah and Shazna Hussain have launched a podcast on the food history of Tower Hamlets. Their work is part of the FoodSEqual project which investigates food systems equality.

Stemming from research into the rich social, cultural and economic history of food and food production in the area, the podcast discusses the importance of community assets that offered ‘pockets of survival’ (Swan et al., 2023) for people experiencing racism, exclusion and social impoverishment. Investigating locations such as Watney Market, Cable Street, Wombat’s City Hostel, former dairies and sugar factories, cafes and an urban orchard provides an understanding of inequalities in contemporary food production and consumption.

Listen to the Food Lives podcast

Further information:

Food Systems Equality project

Swan, E. et al. (2023). ‘Mapping Pockets of Survival: Café Society in Post-war Cable Street’, Portal Journal of Multidisciplinary International Studies, 19(1).

WEN and Food Lives