Mobilising chocolate: plants, pathogens, and prospectors, 1840-1950
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Cambridge
Department Name: History and Philosophy Of Science
Abstract
Developed in partnership with the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (Kew) and the Royal Geographical Society (RGS-IBG),
"Mobilising Chocolate" excavates both institutions' extensive collections to investigate the global mobilisation of Theobroma
cacao (cacao) and chocolate in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By tracking the movements and transformations of
a culturally and economically important commodity, this project will address broader questions about changing agricultural,
economic, and imperial climates.
Cacao beans, the seeds of the tree Theobroma cacao, are a core ingredient in chocolate. During the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries, chocolate consumption grew, and cacao production rapidly developed. This project will investigate how
markets were at times hindered by diseases, but also supported through the development of new genetic varieties. It will
consider how chocolate was used in imperial sponsored expeditions and how novel uses of chocolate emerged from
scientific research into its nutritional qualities. To understand current-day industry issues, the project will interrogate the
consequences of its rapid growth, for example by considering historic deforestation and labour controversies.
Embedding the student in the partner organisations through a collaborative PhD will enhance their access to collections,
widen learning opportunities through first-hand experience of the partners' research cultures, and ensure that outcomes
from the project research have the greatest impact on partner organisations. "Mobilising Chocolate" offers many
opportunities for public engagement: research about chocolate and cacao will be used to develop workshops on topics
such as empire and sustainability; and public engagement will showcase the institutions' collections, opening opportunities
for further research and partnerships.
"Mobilising Chocolate" excavates both institutions' extensive collections to investigate the global mobilisation of Theobroma
cacao (cacao) and chocolate in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. By tracking the movements and transformations of
a culturally and economically important commodity, this project will address broader questions about changing agricultural,
economic, and imperial climates.
Cacao beans, the seeds of the tree Theobroma cacao, are a core ingredient in chocolate. During the nineteenth and
twentieth centuries, chocolate consumption grew, and cacao production rapidly developed. This project will investigate how
markets were at times hindered by diseases, but also supported through the development of new genetic varieties. It will
consider how chocolate was used in imperial sponsored expeditions and how novel uses of chocolate emerged from
scientific research into its nutritional qualities. To understand current-day industry issues, the project will interrogate the
consequences of its rapid growth, for example by considering historic deforestation and labour controversies.
Embedding the student in the partner organisations through a collaborative PhD will enhance their access to collections,
widen learning opportunities through first-hand experience of the partners' research cultures, and ensure that outcomes
from the project research have the greatest impact on partner organisations. "Mobilising Chocolate" offers many
opportunities for public engagement: research about chocolate and cacao will be used to develop workshops on topics
such as empire and sustainability; and public engagement will showcase the institutions' collections, opening opportunities
for further research and partnerships.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Mika Hyman (Student) |