Speaker: R. Kenji Tierney Anthropology, SUNY New Paltz
Introduced by Jane Marie Law, Asian Studies, Cornell

What is the place of sumo in the 21st century? Rather than an "unchanging tradition," sumo acts as a mirror to the changing social conditions in Japanese society. Occupying a contenious role within the overlapping cultural spaces of tradition and sport, debates around the bodies, public morality, and globalization become articulated through scandals and moral panics surrounding the wrestlers, their conduct, and their futures. This talk looks at bodies, food, and scandals to explore these issues.