What’s the Big Deal with Protein?

In this episode, Anna Posbergh interviews Professors Samantha King and Gavin Weedon about their groundbreaking book Protein: The Making of a Nutritional Superstar on protein, exploring its cultural, scientific, and political dimensions. They explore the history, marketing, environmental impact, and social implications of protein as a nutritional superstar.Samantha King is the Director of the School of Kinesiology and Health Studies at Queen’s University and Professor in Sociocultural Studies. She is an interdisciplinary scholar of the body, health, and sport, and works with feminist, queer, and critical race theories to research a broad variety of topics ranging from drugs to food. Gavin Weedon is Associate Professor in Sociology of Sport, Health, and the Body at Nottingham Trent University and Head of the Sport and Society Research Group in the Department of Sport Science. His research explores how embodied practices are implicated in social, political, and ecological issues, from youth labor migration to elite sport to survivalist physical cultures. Keywords: protein, nutrition, culture, environment, social justice, food politics, whey protein, protein industry, health, climate changeChapters01:15 Why protein is a cultural and scientific phenomenon03:07 The history and social underpinnings of protein04:55 What is protein? Exploring its multiplicity09:08 The rise of protein as an uber nutrient17:46 Key episodes in the narrative of protein23:37 Colonial roots and racial logics of protein37:29 Health, aging, and the construction of bodies47:24 Whey protein: From environmental waste to supplement56:09 Protein and the climate crisis01:16:47 Protein in the current political environment01:26:20 Reflections on the authors' relationship with proteinHosts in this episode: Anna________________________________________Support & Follow The End of SportPatreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠patreon.com/Theendofsport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (Support the show!)Bluesky: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod.bsky.social⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@endofsportpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@EndofSportPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The End of Sport⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Listen, share, and support The End of Sport, a proud member of the Harbinger Media Network, a community of over sixty leftist podcasts at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠harbingermedianetwork.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠.