The Feminisation of Chocolate

Inspired by her childhood in York, Emma Robertson, Senior Lecturer in History at La Trobe University, Australia explores chocolate and the history of imperial exploitation, sexism and racism in her study ‘Chocolate, Women and Empire: a Social and Cultural History’. Emma talks about the ‘ordinary’ women positioned at the two key stages of production, the cocoa farms of Nigeria and the Rowntree factory in York.

Women play a critical role in the cacao industry in West Africa but patriarchal attitudes often exclude them from decision making, land ownership, and selling the crop. Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o, Fairtrade Global CEO discusses the life of women cocoa farmers and the Women’s School of Leadership which seeks to empower women and promote gender rights.

What it is like to work in a chocolate factory? Sarah Hartley talks about her job as a quality controller on the factory floor at Whitakers.

Chocolate advertising has long been linked with women and sex. Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd, a Reader in Consumer Psychology at Anglia Ruskin University and Sue Quinn, food writer and author of 'Cocoa: an Exploration of Chocolate' discuss how chocolate advertisements target women.

Presenter: Andrea Catherwood Producer: Paula McFarlane Interviewed Guest: Dr Emma Robertson Interviewed Guest: Dr. Nyagoy Nyong’o Interviewed Guest: Sarah Hartley Interviewed Guest: Dr Cathrine Jansson-Boyd Interviewed Guest: Sue Quinn