I recently gave the plenary lecture at the annual symposium of the ‘Professional, Academic, and Work-Based Literacies’ (PAWBL) special interest group, which sits under the aegis of BAAL.

The lecture, titled “Eat. Pray. Live. How Literacies of Food Heritage, Faith and Commerce Merge in Sino-Muslim China“, was based on data gathered for the Sino-Muslim Heritage Literacy Project. Unlike previous analyses from this research, it focused on the specifics of heritage literacy practices within the realms of food commerce, and how Sino-Muslim heritage is expressed, constructed, and remembered through the intertwined domains of food consumption, trade, and religion. This specific facet of my analysis is an area I aim to explore further in upcoming publications related to the project.

My sincere gratitude goes to the PAWBL SIG for the invitation and opportunity to discuss the work. Here is an extract of the opening part of the talk: