Joint seminar with the Anglo-Turkish Society

Thursday 3 November 2016 at 6.30pm

at the Royal Anthropological Institute

Speaker: Dr John McManus

Turkey and the anthropology of football

Turkey is a football-mad nation. Ninety per cent of all citizens are self-confessed fans of the sport, which frequently intersects with debates about social class, politics, community and identity. Football and politics often overlap. In the past few years alone, clubs, fans and players have been sucked into political protests, corruption allegations and accusations of collusion with banned religious movements.

The talk takes a sideways look at recent events in Turkey through the country's favourite sport. Based on my forthcoming book, it will explore how football can teach us about discourses of culture and belonging -- about politics, civil society, gender, minorities, and Turkey's often difficult relationships with Europe. I will also reflect more broadly on the anthropological study of sport and the challenges faced by Turkey at this particular historical juncture.

John McManus is postdoctoral research fellow at the British Institute in Ankara, where he researches sport, digital media and migration in Turkey and the Turkish diaspora. He is currently working on a book exploring the history and culture of football in Turkey, to be published with Orion Books in 2017.

This event is free, but tickets must be booked. To book tickets please go to https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/turkeys-european-connection-through-football-3-nov-2016-atsrai-lecture-tickets-27726008237