Food & Health Alliance

The acronym of the Scottish Colloquium on Food and Feeding (SCOFF) might lead the unwary to assume this was an organisation for the enjoyment, and rapid consumption, of good food.

In fact the colloquium’s aim is the rather worthier one of promoting debate and discussion around different aspects of food, diet and eating, from a sociological perspective.

Originally it was an off-shoot of the BSA (British Sociological Association) Food Study Group, which was set up at the Association’s annual conference in Manchester in the early 1990s. BSA study groups encourage specialists to organise smallscale events and networking, bringing together sociologists and others to talk about the work they do in their chosen area.

SCOFF has maintained an independent presence in Scotland through bringing together interested people (academics, practitioners and policy-makers) at regular meetings and seminars. The group’s development has been as much a product of its membership, including member groups such as Community Food and Health Scotland, as of its coordinator and steering committee, although the enthusiasm and commitment of the latter have always been essential. It is particularly interested in finding ways to link theory and practice, policy and academia.

Current convenors are Sue Gregory at the University of Edinburgh and Debra Gimlin at the University of Aberdeen. Sue has a research background in gender, families and, more recently, chronic illness, topics that directly and indirectly relate to issues around food, diet and eating. Debra’s research on gender and ageing, size rights and organised slimming also complement the group’s interests.

The group’s meetings currently take place in Edinburgh and usually involve informal discussions around research and other activities. People are also encouraged to make more formal presentations of their work from time to time, occasionally with invited speakers. One of their meetings involved Andrea Tonner, from the University of Strathclyde, talking about her work on ‘cookbook choices: a matter of self identity’.