Loading Events

Seminar: Erol Sağlam

September 20 @ 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Joint seminar with the Anglo-Turkish Society

Wednesday 20 September 2017 at 5.30pm

at the Royal Anthropological Institute

Speaker: Dr Erol Sağlam, Birkbeck, University of London

The Romeika of Trabzon: Discretion, Memory, and Treasure Hunts in Contemporary Turkey

Drawing on an ethnographic study in Trabzon, northeastern Turkey, this research explores dynamics of memory through the public invisibility of Romeika, a relatively unknown variant of Greek that is discreetly spoken by communities who identify as Turkish and practice (Sunni) Islam. Departing from the intriguing amalgam of Romeika heritage with the staunch Turkish nationalism in the Valley, I first explore the “discreet” status of Romeika through which the language is preserved in the privacy of communal encounters despite the strength of Turkish nationalism and state participation. I then trace this communal privacy in locals’ relations to the landscape to account for the pervasiveness of treasure hunts and narratives they instigate. I argue that, rather than simply being quests for material riches, these hunts have an intricate relation to the discreet preservation of Romeika, which in turn haunts the local geography through cryptic signs. These quests and narratives, I claim, might be read as another modality of remembrance through which those collective memories, which are abruptly banished from the public sphere to forge a national identity, are accommodated and retained in materialand corporeal forms. Through these hunts, locals can both “remember” the past, I conclude, without antagonizing the state and nationalist ideology.

This event is free, but tickets must be booked. To book tickets please go to https://erol-saglam-lecture.eventbrite.co.uk

Location : Royal Anthropological Institute
50 Fitzroy Street
London
W1T 5BT
United Kingdom
http://www.therai.org.uk

 

How to give to the RAI

Your support makes all the difference to the RAI

The RAI needs your support. We are an independent charity dedicated to anthropology. Please can you help us with our essential work by making a donation today. With your support we can continue to deliver our inspiring online events programme and run our flagship events (London Anthropology Day, the RAI Film Festival and our international conferences). We can continue our essential support of anthropological research, to care for our archive, manuscript and photo collections and develop our education programmes to create globally informed citizens. Thank you for your interest in this event, we appreciate you supporting the RAI.

Have you considered becoming an RAI Fellow?

Many people from all over the world are affiliated to the RAI. We welcome anyone with an interest in the subject, whether working in an academic institution or not. Our affiliates include academic specialists, students, those working in fields where anthropology has practical applications, and those whose interest is captured by the subject matter of anthropology.

Join the RAI

Mailing list

Interested in news and updates from the RAI? Subscribe to our mailing list below.

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name