Event

In France, the consumption of pork and access to citizenship have a long tradition dating back to the 18th century, which has led to various discussions about Jews' belonging to the nation if they observe kashrut. Debates about food and belonging have flared up again since the 2000s, as pork has become one of the symbols of European right-wing movements claiming to represent Christian (and secular) Europe against foreign, especially Muslim, invaders. The talk will look at recent public debates on different interpretations of French secularity in relation to the consumption of pork and the culturalization of Christianity.

Nur Yasemin Ural is a sociologist of religion and the secular. She completed her doctorate at the Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales Paris on the burial practices of Muslim minorities and the politicization of religion in France and Germany. Her research focuses on ethnic and religious minorities, the interrelationship between culture and religion, Islam in Europe, and affects and emotions. She will be visiting Philadelphia as part of the American Academy of Religion International Collaborative Research Grant "The Material Secular: A Cross-Continental Research Project."