From hunger to malnutrition : the political economy of scientific knowledge in Europe, 1818-1960

376 Pages·2012·7.675 MB·English

by  Josep L Barona

EUROPEAN FOOD ISSUES
Hunger and nutrition are central to public health, social stability and a balanced economy. A
powerful interdisciplinary fi eld has recently emerged among demographers, cultural, economic
and science historians around food studies.
This book is a study of the historical interactions between diet, hunger and health in
contemporary Europe. The author uses archival sources from the League of Nations, the Food
and Agriculture Organisation, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, the
Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organisation to show the impact of food shortages
on the health of the European population during the fi rst half of the twentieth century. In the
context of the international diplomatic reaction and national health and nutritional policies, the
book shows how these exceptional circumstances led to new scientifi c research, the production
and circulation of scientifi c knowledge, and the political role of experts, as a new political n
o
economy of scientifi c knowledge about food and diet was developed during the central decades ti
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ISBN 978-90-5201-856-0 E. ng
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www.peterlang.com P.I.E.
EUROPEAN FOOD ISSUES
Hunger and nutrition are central to public health, social stability and a balanced economy. A
powerful interdisciplinary fi eld has recently emerged among demographers, cultural, economic
and science historians around food studies.
This book is a study of the historical interactions between diet, hunger and health in
contemporary Europe. The author uses archival sources from the League of Nations, the Food
and Agriculture Organisation, the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration, the
Rockefeller Foundation and the World Health Organisation to show the impact of food shortages
on the health of the European population during the fi rst half of the twentieth century. In the
context of the international diplomatic reaction and national health and nutritional policies, the
book shows how these exceptional circumstances led to new scientifi c research, the production
and circulation of scientifi c knowledge, and the political role of experts, as a new political n
o
economy of scientifi c knowledge about food and diet was developed during the central decades ti
i
r
of the twentieth century. t
u
n
l
a
M

o
t

r
e
g
n
EUROPEAN FOOD ISSU ES u
H Josep L. Barona

m
o
r
F From Hunger to Malnutrition

Josep L. Barona is Professor of History of Science and Head of the Department of History of a
n
Science and Documentation at the Universidad de Valencia. His research deals with international o
r The Political Economy of Scientifi c Knowledge
a
diplomacy and health policies in contemporary Europe and the origins of the science of nutrition B
. in Europe, 1918-1960
and its social and political uses. L

p
e
s
o
J
g
n
a
L
er
et
P
E. ng
P.I.E. Peter Lang P.I. La
r
Brussels e
et
E. P
www.peterlang.com P.I.
1

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2

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From Hunger to Malnutrition
The Political Economy of Scientific
Knowledge in Europe, 1918-1960
P.I.E. Peter Lang
Bruxelles Bern Berlin FrankfurtamMain NewYork Oxford Wien
     
3

pagetitre.p65 3 14/06/2012,08:38
4

pagetitre.p65 4 14/06/2012,08:38
Josep L. BARONA
From Hunger to Malnutrition
The Political Economy of Scientific
Knowledge in Europe, 1918-1960
European Food Issues
n° 3
5

pagetitre.p65 5 14/06/2012,08:38
This book is sponsored by the Spanish Ministry of Science and
Technology [Sanidad Internacional y transferencia de conocimiento
científico.Europa1900-1975,MICINN,HAR2011-23233]
CoverPicture:“SanidadyAsistenciaSocial”,VicenteBallesterMarco,
UniversitatdeValència
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form, by print, photocopy,
microfilm or any other means, without prior written permission from the
publisher.Allrightsreserved.
© P.I.E. PETER LANG S.A.
Éditionsscientifiquesinternationales
Brussels, 2012
1 avenue Maurice, B-1050 Brussels, Belgique
www.peterlang.com ; [email protected]
ISSN 2033-7892
ISBN 978-90-5201-856-0 (paperback)
ISBN 978-3-0352­6193­6 (eBook)
D/2012/5678/51
Printed in Germany
LibraryofCongressCataloging-in-PublicationData
BaronaVilar,JosepLluis.
Fromhunger tomalnutrition : thepoliticaleconomyofscientific
knowledgeinEurope, 1818-1960/Josep L.Barona.
p. cm. — (European food issues, 2033-7892 ; no.3)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-90-5201-856-0 (alk.paper)
1. Food supply—Europe—History. 2. Diet—Europe—History. 3.
Nutrition—Europe—History. I. Title.
HD9015.A2B37 2012 363.8094’09041—dc23 2012020322
Bibliographic information published by “Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek”
“Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek” lists this publication in the “Deutsche
National-bibliografie”; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at
<http://dnb.d-nb.de>.
6

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Thisbookisdevotedtothememoryofthetwomostgenerouspeople
Ievermet,JoséBaronaAlcaláandCarmenVilarSanchis.
Theywerechildsurvivorsofwartimenutrition.