DOCSLIB.ORG

Remembering Genius Londinii: London Writers and the Spirit of the City

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Remembering Genius Londinii: London Writers and the Spirit of the City Susanna Suomela Remembering genius Londinii: London writers and the spirit of the city Department of Philosophy, History, Culture and Art Studies University of Helsinki Academic dissertation to be publicly discussed, by due permission of the Faculty of Arts at the University of Helsinki in lecture room 1 of Metsätalo, Unioninkatu 40, on the 25th of May, 2018 at 12 o’clock. Copyright © Susanna Suomela 2018 ISBN 978-951-51-4227-6 (paperback) ISBN 978-951-51-4228-3 (PDF) Cover: Photograph by courtesy of myfreetextures.com Image editing and cover design: Susanna Suomela http://ethesis.helsinki.fi Helsinki, 2018 Unigrafia The question remains: How can place, plain old place, be so powerful in matters of memory? In what does the power of place for memory consist? We have seen Aristotle driven to speak of a place's "active influence", its "distinct potencies". Similarly, the Romans posited a "genius loci", an indwelling spirit, for each significant place [- -]. In English, we still speak of "the spirit of a place", and ascribe to particular places attractive or re- pelling forces far beyond what their position in geo- graphic space or historic time might indicate. —Edward Casey: Remembering One of these days I will write about London, & how it takes up the private life & carries on, without any ef- fort. —Virginia Woolf: Diary, 5 May 1924 The city is time made visible. —Yi-Fu Tuan: Space, Time, Place: A Humanistic Frame Abstract Abstract The subject of my doctoral dissertation Remembering genius Londinii: Lon- don novelists and the spirit of the city is the role of memory in the recogni- tion of genius loci, as presented in the novels of four London authors: in Peter Ackroyd’s The House of Doctor Dee (1993), Dan Leno and the Lime- house Golem (1994), and Three Brothers (2013), in Maureen Duffy’s Capital (1975), in Michael Moorcock’s Mother London (1988), and in Zadie Smith’s White Teeth (2000). My analysis of the novels is premised on the proposi- tion that in order to come into contact with the spirit of a certain place, we need to examine the crossroads of place and memory in its different forms. The central interpretive concept of my dissertation, genius loci, is strongly interdisciplinary, having together with a closely related concept, sense of place, inspired scholars in various fields of study. I shall approach the subject mainly via the ideas of phenomenologically disposed human- istic geography and environmental psychology, while staying within the context of literary research. The readings of the novels are organized thematically to expose the formation of genius Londinii from different angles, varying in the interre- lationship of place and memory and the impact of individual versus col- lective perspective. The first three chapters focus on the novels of Peter Ackroyd, Maureen Duffy, and Michael Moorcock, examining the evolution of genius loci in a city with immemorial layers of past, in a city serving as i Remembering genius Londinii a place of growth, and in a city threatened by a collective crisis. The fourth chapter rounds off the analysis by focusing on the spirit of the city from the perspective of London’s substantial immigrant population and, along with a thematic reading of Zadie Smith’s novel, discusses the feasibility of the main premise of this study in defining genius Londinii when per- sonal or collective memories – or both – lie elsewhere. ii Acknowledgements Acknowledgements While the prolonged duration of this particular dissertation process has incontestably exceeded all academic recommendations — to speak noth- ing of non-academic ones — it has also brought about a whole host of peo- ple to thank for their support and encouragement over the years. First, I would like to express my warmest gratitude to my supervisors Prof. Heta Pyrhönen and Emeritus Prof. Hannu Riikonen for both their val- uable help and their admirable patience with an archetypal eternal stu- dent. I would also like to thank Prof. Klaus Brax who bravely took on the role of an adjunct supervisor during the last phase of the process and of- fered several incisive suggestions. I am also very grateful to my pre-exam- iners, Prof. Julian Wolfreys (University of Portsmouth) and Prof. Sebastian Groes (University of Wolverhampton), for their reassuring comments, which brightened the finishing stage of the process. Over the years, many others have also offered useful criticism and sug- gestions as well as invaluable encouragement. PhD Kirsti Simonsuuri’s acute observations on an early draft of my work were vital for the evolu- tion of the thesis towards its final form. Docent Anna Kuismin has been a supporting mentor and friend since my far-off MA studies; warm thanks to her and her husband Leo also for their hospitality and many inspiring con- versations over dinner. Due to the length of the process, I have also been iii Remembering genius Londinii able to benefit from the discernment of several generations of doctoral stu- dents in the Comparative Literature Research Seminar and I want to thank them all most warmly. In addition, the seminar sessions instructed by vis- iting scholars have offered some extra food for thought, for which I want to express sincere thanks to Emeritus Prof. Christopher Prendergast, Dean Suzanne Keen, and Prof. Susan Elizabeth Sweeney. Lotte Troupp offered invaluable help in linguistical matters as well as important suggestions concerning the content of my thesis, for which I want to warmly thank her. I am also grateful to all the students in my courses over the years for their refreshing comments and questions. Many thanks also to Kenneth Quek, whose revision of my thesis helped in smoothing out the edges of my Eng- lish. The research grants of the Finnish Cultural Foundation, the Ella and Georg Ehrnrooth Foundation, and the Oskar Öflund Foundation, as well as the dissertation completion grant of the University of Helsinki provided important financial support for the writing of this thesis during various stages of the process, for which I am deeply grateful. Undoubtedly the greatest joy of my literary studies has been the amount of fun and inspiring friends it has brought to my life. I would like to warmly thank them all for friendship and to offer special thanks to Sari Kivistö for support and eloquentia correspondentiae, to Janna Kantola for showing how to be resilient in the face of hardship, to Mia Kankimäki for literary inspiration and encouragement, to Anne Latikka for invaluable peer support in thesis writing, and to Kaisu Ala-Reini for croquis compan- ionship. Equally precious has been the company and support of friends met elsewhere, and I specifically wish to thank Outi Lapatto-Reiniluoto for lively and invigorating conversations over the decades, Outi Lepola for peer support in photographic pursuits, and Leena Maristo for stimulating zoological discussions. iv Acknowledgements I have also been blessed with an army of inspiring and supporting rel- atives, who have also been considerate enough not to ask too many ques- tions concerning the status of my thesis over the years. My mother Terttu and my late father Päivö encouraged us children to search for answers to all kinds of questions in the bulging bookshelves of my pre-Internet child- hood home, for which I am eternally grateful. The brotherly teasing as well as whole-hearted encouragement by my elder and younger brothers, Jouni and Hartti, have also acted as important spices in the dissertation process, a warm thank you to you both! (I did not retire as a doctoral student after all!) I also want to thank my parents-in-law Tuula Lukkarinen and Jussi Pulkkinen with their respective spouses Hannu Lukkarinen and Liivia Klaus for showing a supportive attitude over the years. Special thanks to Jussi for the comfortable and deliciously yellow office chair, without which the long hours of the writing process would have been even more agoniz- ing. I would also like to send grateful thoughts to my late grandparents — wherever they are at the moment — who have all in different ways had an effect on the formation of this thesis. From my maternal grandparents I learnt the love of place and of a certain Tavastian island in particular, whereas my paternal grandparents — who happened to love the same lake landscape — passed down to their children and grandchildren the love of literature, art, and music as well as an academic thirst for knowledge. Dur- ing the most strenuous phases of the dissertation process I often thought about two young women, Gurli and Göta — my paternal grandmother and her sister — who began their studies at the Imperial Alexander University of Finland, shortly before its name changed to the University of Helsinki, and who graduated, respectively, as a teacher of biology and geography and as a Doctor of Medicine and Surgery at a time when women were only v Remembering genius Londinii beginning to find their academic opportunities. Their determination con- tinues to be a great inspiration. However, my warmest thanks go to my hairy four- and two-legged home team. Over the years, five feline friends have acted as domestic su- pervisors of my work, correcting my typing and teaching me to play with the mouse. After Popo, Oliver, and Lissu, Saima and Nipa have now jointly inherited the important position of the Resident Study Cat. Thanks guys, bonus tuna coming your way! Finally, the greatest thanks go to my hus- band Janne Pulkkinen, without whose loving support, priceless sense of humour, and bodhisattva-like patience the dissertation process would
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: an Assessment of the 2012 London Games Legacies Simona Azzali*
    Azzali City Territ Archit (2017) 4:11 DOI 10.1186/s40410-017-0066-0 RESEARCH ARTICLE Open Access Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park: an assessment of the 2012 London Games Legacies Simona Azzali* Abstract The London 2012 Olympics were the frst Games with a legacy plan already in execution well before the beginning of the event. This study aims at evaluating the legacies of this Olympic edition, with particular regard to the new public open spaces created and their sustainability. The research carries out a post-occupancy evaluation of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, which is the main output of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Results show good achievements in terms of physical and social integration while the economic impact appears to be the weakest legacy from hosting the Games. Keywords: Olympic Legacies, Mega sports events, London 2012, Sustainable open spaces, Legacy planning Background the frst hosting city with a comprehensive legacy plan Mega-events, from the Olympics to the World Cups, are that was already in execution before the staging of the often regarded by planners and politicians as key driv- Games (Chappelet 2008). Indeed, in 2003, the Olympic ers for the overall redevelopment of a city (Azzali 2017; Committee amended its charter to include an additional Malfas et al. 2004). Mega-events have driven the urban statement in its mission that focused on the generation transformation of cities such as Barcelona, London, Rio, of benefcial legacies for hosting cities. Since 2003, all Beijing, and Shanghai, but while the prospect of eco- bidding cities are required to have a legacy plan in their nomic growth is the driving force for hosting a major candidacy fles, explaining post event usage for sports event, the legacies that follow their hosting have been dif- facilities and long-term plans for the areas involved in the fcult to design and quantify (Preuss 2007).
    [Show full text]
  • The Olympic Games and Civil Liberties
    Analysis A “clean city”: the Olympic Games and civil liberties Chris Jones Introduction In 2005, the UK won the right to host the 2012 Olympic Games. Seven years later, the Games are due to begin, but they are not without controversy. Sponsors of the Games – including McDonald’s, Coca-Cola, Cadbury’s, BP and, perhaps most controversially, Dow Chemical [1] – were promised “what is chillingly called a ‘clean city’, handing them ownership of everything within camera distance of the games.” [2] In combination with measures put in place to deal with what have been described as the “four key risks” of terrorism, protest, organised crime and natural disasters, [3] these measures have led to a number of detrimental impacts upon civil liberties, dealt with here under the headings of freedom of expression; freedom of movement; freedom of assembly; and the right to protest. The Games will be hosted in locations across the country, but primarily in London, which is main the focus of this analysis. Laying the groundwork Following victory for the bid to host the Games, legislation – the London Olympic Games and Paralympic Games Act 2006 – was passed “to make provision in connection with the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games that are take place in London in the year 2012.” [4] It is from here that limitations on freedom of expression have come, as well as some of the limitations on freedom of movement that stem from the introduction of “Games Lanes” to London’s road system. Policing and security remains the responsibility of the national and local authorities.
    [Show full text]
  • A Capital City: London Events and Anniversaries in 2012
    UCL LIBRARY SERVICES A CAPITAL CITY: LONDON EVENTS AND ANNIVERSARIES IN 2012 An exhibition of material from UCL Special Collections, SSEES Library and Cruciform Library archives, with additional Items on loan from the UCL Institute of Archaeology, RUMS medical students and the UCL Union April – November 2012 A CAPITAL CITY: LONDON EVENTS AND ANNIVERSARIES IN 2012 Forrow, Alexander. The Thames and its docks : a lecture London : Spottiswoode & Co., 38 Royal Exchange, and to be had of all booksellers, 1877. Special Collections: LONDON HISTORY 1877 FOR A Capital City: London Events and Anniversaries in 2012 | 3 Foreword In 2012 UCL Library Services is celebrating anniversaries and events with a London connection in three exhibitions in the Main Library. Sports Ancient and Modern This display celebrates the Olympics and includes artefacts borrowed from UCL’s Institute of Archaeology which itself is celebrating its 75th Anniversary this year. The pottery and figures are all from the Ancient World and were created in a time when unity and physical prowess were held in high regard. Also on display is paraphernalia from the Olympic Congress held in Paris in 1914, at which the symbol of five interlocking rings was adopted for the Olympic flag. Team photographs and trophies reflecting the athletic achievements of UCL’s students feature too from the 19th Century to the present day, but particularly from the time of the British Olympic Games held in 1908 and 1948. Charles Dickens at 200 Charles Dickens was born in 1812 and this year marks his 200th birthday. He drew much inspiration from London in his writing and lived in and around Bloomsbury for many years.
    [Show full text]
  • OLYMPIC GAMES LONDON July 29 - August 14, 1948
    Y.E.A.H. - Young Europeans Active and Healthy OLYMPIC GAMES LONDON July 29 - August 14, 1948 The Austerity Games The 1948 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XIV Olym- piad, were held in London , United Kingdom . After a twelve-year hiatus caused by the out- break of World War II ; these were the first Summer Olympics held since Berlin 1936. The 1940 Olympic Games had been scheduled for Tokyo , and then for Helsinki ; the 1944 Ol- ympic Games had been provisionally planned for London. The event came to be known as the Austerity Games, because of the difficult eco- nomic climate and rationing imposed in the aftermath of World War II . No new venues were built for the games and athletes were housed in existing accommodation at the Wembley area instead of an Olympic Village , as were the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games and the subsequent 1952 Games . A record 59 nations were represented by 4,104 athletes, 3,714 men and 390 women, in 19 sport disciplines . Germany and Japan were not invited to participate in the games, however, the Soviet Union was invited but chose not to send any athletes. Great Britain almost handed the 1948 games to the United States due to post-war financial and rationing prob- lems, but King George VI said that this could be the chance to restore Britain from World War II . The official report of the London Olympics shows that there was no case of London being pressed to run the Games against its will. In March 1946 London was selected ahead of Baltimore , Minneapolis , Lausanne , Los Angeles , and Philadel- phia .
    [Show full text]
  • Annual Report 2012-13 the Mayor’S Office for Policing and Crime
    ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 THE MAYOR’S OFFICE FOR POLICING AND CRIME MOPAC – ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 COPYRIGHT MAYOR’S OFFICE FOR POLICING AND CRIME July 2013 Published by: MOPAC City Hall The Queen’s Walk More London London SE1 2AA Enquiries to 020 7983 6532 This report is available at www.london.gov.uk/policing MOPAC – ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 CONTENTS INTRODUCTION 4 Foreword from the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime 5 About MOPAC 7 About this report 7 1. THE YEAR IN SUMMARY 8 Defining the Mission 9 The Police and Crime Plan 9 Delivery of Mayoral manifesto commitments 9 Management of routine business 10 Budget 11 Change at MOPAC 12 2. POLICE PERFORMANCE & ACCOUNTABILITY 13 Effectiveness 14 Efficiency 15 Accountability 16 3. CRIME PREVENTION, JUSTICE & RESETTLEMENT 18 Work to make London safer 19 APPENDICES 21 MOPAC – ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 4 INTRODUCTION MOPAC – ANNUAL REPORT 2012-13 5 Foreword from the Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime The Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC) is a young organisation that has spent the last year establishing itself, whilst at the same time producing London’s first Police and Crime Plan, launched by the Mayor and the Commissioner in March. Created in January 2012, MOPAC has undergone a rapid evolution into a strategic oversight body for London, reflecting the Mayor’s democratic mandate, and with the vital task of holding the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) and other criminal justice agencies to account. The Police Reform and Social Responsibility Act 2011 established MOPAC to replace the Metropolitan Police Authority (MPA) and made the Mayor the elected Police and Crime Commissioner for London.
    [Show full text]
  • Hosting the Olympic Games: an Overstated Advantage in Sports History
    The International Journal of the History of Sport ISSN: 0952-3367 (Print) 1743-9035 (Online) Journal homepage: http://www.tandfonline.com/loi/fhsp20 Hosting the Olympic Games: an Overstated Advantage in Sports History Stephen Pettigrew & Danyel Reiche To cite this article: Stephen Pettigrew & Danyel Reiche (2016) Hosting the Olympic Games: an Overstated Advantage in Sports History, The International Journal of the History of Sport, 33:6-7, 635-647, DOI: 10.1080/09523367.2015.1132201 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09523367.2015.1132201 Published online: 01 Feb 2016. Submit your article to this journal Article views: 58 View related articles View Crossmark data Full Terms & Conditions of access and use can be found at http://www.tandfonline.com/action/journalInformation?journalCode=fhsp20 THE INtERNAtiONAL JOURNAL OF tHE HiStORY OF SPORt, 2016 VOL. 33, NOS. 6–7, 635–647 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/09523367.2015.1132201 Hosting the Olympic Games: An Overstated Advantage in Sports History Stephen Pettigrewa and Danyel Reicheb aDepartment of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA; bDepartment of Political Studies and Public Administration, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon ABSTRACT KEYWORDS Previous research on the home advantage in the history of the Olympic Games; Summer Olympic Games has found initial evidence that host nations have Olympics; Winter Olympics; won more medals than non-hosts. In this paper, we argue that these home advantage; International Olympic findings are a myth of sports history, providing poor estimates of Committee the home advantage in the Olympics. We argue that selection bias accounts for the findings in previous work, which uses an empirical strategy of comparing host nations to all non-hosts and to historical performances of host countries with much smaller delegations.
    [Show full text]
  • The Olympics and Economics 2012 Contents
    The Olympics and Economics 2012 Contents The Olympics and Economics 2012 .......................................................................................................................................... 1 Interview with Michael Johnson ............................................................................................................................................ 2 (Sprinter, four-time Olympic gold medallist and world record holder) Impact on the UK: 2012 Olympics Likely to Provide Economic As Well As Sporting Benefits ..................................... 4 Interview with Matthew Syed .................................................................................................................................................. 6 (Journalist, author and table tennis champion and a two-time Olympian) Gold Goes Where Growth Environment Is Best—Using Our GES to Predict Olympic Medals .................................... 8 Interview with Tim Hollingsworth ......................................................................................................................................... 12 (Chief Executive of the British Paralympic Association) Summer Olympics and Local House Prices: The Cases of Los Angeles and Atlanta ................................................... 14 The Olympics as a Winning FX Strategy ............................................................................................................................... 16 Impact of Olympics on Stock Markets ..................................................................................................................................
    [Show full text]
  • After the Gold Rush : a Sustainable Olympics for London
    After the Gold Rush A sustainable Olympics for London Edited by Anthony Vigor, Melissa Mean and Charlie Tims After the Gold Rush A sustainable Olympics for London Edited by Anthony Vigor, Melissa Mean and Charlie Tims The Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr) is the UK’s leading progressive think tank and was established in 1988. Its role is to bridge the political divide between the social democratic and liberal traditions, the intellectual divide between academia and the policy making establishment and the cultural divide between government and civil society. It is first and foremost a research institute, aiming to provide innovative and credible policy solutions. Its work, the questions its research poses and the methods it uses are driven by the belief that the journey to a good society is one that places social justice, democratic participation and economic and environmental sustainability at its core. For further information you can contact ippr’s external affairs department on [email protected], you can view our website at www.ippr.org and you can buy our books from Central Books on 0845 458 9910 or email [email protected]. Demos is a greenhouse for new ideas which can improve the quality of our lives. As an independent think tank, we aim to create an open resource of knowledge and learning that operates beyond traditional party politics. We connect researchers, thinkers and practitioners to an international network of people changing politics. Our ideas regularly influence government policy, but we also work with companies, NGOs, colleges and professional bodies. You can contact us at: Demos, Third Floor, Magdalen House, 136 Tooley Street, London SE1 2TU, tel: 0845 458 5949, www.demos.co.uk.
    [Show full text]
  • Je Rêve Donc De Chaque Record Possible. Quel Type
    ? CONTENTS 'HOHJDWHV ,QWHUQDWLRQDO2ƛFLDOV Organisational Delegate Sylvia Barlag (NED) WELCOME TO THE CHAMPIONSHIPS 2 BIENVENUE AUX CHAMPIONNATS Technical Delegates Robert Hersh (USA) (Message from IAAF President) (Message du Président de l’IAAF) Jose Maria Odriozola (ESP) GENERAL INFORMATION Brian Roe (AUS) WELCOME TO LONDON! 4 BIENVENUE À LONDRES ! Medical Delegate 6WHSKDQH%HUPRQ )5$ (Message from London 2017 Ltd Head) (Message des Présidents de Londres 2017) Anti-Doping Delegate *LXVHSSH)LVFKHWWR ,7$ ƞƞ ,$$)&281&,/0(0%(56'(/(*$7(6$1' Press Delegate Anna Legnani (ITA) HOTEL INFORMATION 6 INFORMATIONS CONCERNANT LES HÔTELS INTERNATIONAL OFFICIALS Broadcast Delegate John Rowlinson (GBR) Welcome Desk Desk d’accueil IAAF Council Advertising Commissioner Rowena Samarasinhe (GBR) IMPORTANT DOCUMENTATION & Accreditation PresidentDOCUMENTS IMPORTANTSLord et accréditationsSebastian Coe (GBR) Statisticians Carlos Canet (ESP) 8 )HOL[&DSLOOD (63 Senior Vice President Sergey Bubka (UKR) TRANSPORT INFORMATION 10 TRANSPORTS Course Measurer Hugh Jones (GBR) Vice Presidents Dahlan Al Hamad (QAT) Event VIP Transport Service Services de transport VIP Announcers - English John Rawling (GBR) Hamad Kalkaba Malboum (CMR) *HRƚ:LJKWPDQ *%5 Public Transport Transports en commun Alberto Juantorena Danger (CUB) $QQRXQFHU)UHQFK +HOHQH5LFKWHU )5$ Treasurer José Maria Odriozola (ESP) 3KRWR)LQLVK-XGJH &KULV+D[HOO *%5 Marathon Hospitality & Race Walk Hospitality 12 Espaces dédiés pour le marathon et les épreuves de marche Individual Members Roberto Gesta De Melo (BRA),
    [Show full text]
  • CCBC Choices 2013 || Cooperative Children's Book Center || University
    CCBC Choices 2013 CCBC Choices 2013 Kathleen T. Horning Merri V. Lindgren Megan Schliesman Cooperative Children’s Book Center School of Education University of Wisconsin–Madison Copyright ©2013, Friends of the CCBC, Inc. ISBN–10: 0–931641–23–3 ISBN–13: 978–0–931641–23–7 CCBC Choices 2013 was produced by the office of University Communications, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Cover design: Lois Ehlert This publication was created by librarians at the Cooperative Children’s Book Center, School of Education, University of Wisconsin–Madison. Funding for the production and printing was provided by the Friends of the CCBC, Inc. For information, see the Appendices, or go to www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/. CCBC Choices 2013 3 Contents Acknowledgments .............................................4 Introduction .................................................5 Organization of CCBC Choices 2013 ..............................6 The Charlotte Zolotow Award ...................................8 A Few Observations on Publishing in 2012 .......................10 The Choices Science, Technology, and the Natural World .....................14 Seasons and Celebrations ....................................20 Folklore, Mythology, and Traditional Literature. 21 Historical People, Places, and Events ...........................22 Biography and Autobiography ................................30 Contemporary People, Places, and Events .......................37 Understanding Oneself and Others ............................41 The Arts ................................................42
    [Show full text]
  • Using Accidental Clues to Access London/Turkish Spiritualities in Commercial Cultures
    ORE Open Research Exeter TITLE Continuities of Culture in the Cosmopolitan City: Accessing London/Turkish Spiritualities in Commercial Cultures through Accidental Clues AUTHORS Varul, M.Z. DEPOSITED IN ORE 16 June 2014 This version available at http://hdl.handle.net/10871/15022 COPYRIGHT AND REUSE Open Research Exeter makes this work available in accordance with publisher policies. A NOTE ON VERSIONS The version presented here may differ from the published version. If citing, you are advised to consult the published version for pagination, volume/issue and date of publication Continuities of Culture in the City: Using Accidental Clues to Access London/Turkish Spiritualities in Commercial Cultures Paper prepared for the Global Studies Association conference 10th to 12th July 2013 at the University of Roehampton Matthias Zick Varul University of Exeter, CSSIS Sociology, Philosophy and Anthropology Amory Building, Rennes Drive Exeter EX4 4RJ +44 (0) 1392 26 3283 [email protected] 1 While European leaders squabble about whether or not Turkey does or does not belong into the European Union and in Germany, the main destination of Turkish migration in the second half of the 20th century, Turks remain the target of racist discrimination and blame (Soysal 2013), Turkish London looks like a model case of cosmopolitan co-existence. During the 2011 Riots Daily Mail reading British tourists in Turkey learned in amazement how members of this Muslim population played the part of vigilante defenders of British retail, while the Turkish media noted that against the looters London Turks stood together with London Kurds. While celebrations of multicultural success stories need to be taken with a pinch of salt (particularly as they might be used as reproach towards groups considered less well integrated), the inconspicuous and under-researched case of London Turcophone ordinary cosmopolitanism (Lamont/Aksartova 2002, also cf.
    [Show full text]
  • Lessons Learned from the London 2012 Olympic Games
    Tackling Trafficking in Human Beings and Forced Labour: Lessons Learned from the London 2012 Olympic Games Introduction This short paper provides an overview of the key lessons on how to minimise the risk of trafficking, forced labour and labour exploitation associated with the staging of a major international sporting event. It draws on the experience of Anti-Slavery International, the Human Trafficking and London 2012 Network (hereafter the Network), other reviews of the London Olympics and interviews with key informants who were invited to reflect on their experiences of the Games. Methodology This paper was compiled by Anti-Slavery International from the evaluation of its projects targeted and related to the Olympics, participation in the Network and reviews of existing reports on the efforts to implement the ethical delivery of the Olympics. Several interviews were also conducted with key participants who had been involved in different aspects of formulating and implementing plans to reduce trafficking and forced labour associated with the games. Strengths of this report This report provides a brief overview of the lessons relating both to efforts to reduce trafficking in the UK and in the supply chain of the Olympics. Hence it provides a more concise overview of the totality of the issues and draws some key lessons for future games or major sporting events. Key lessons learned Importance of multi-agency working – Human Trafficking and London 2012 Network An innovation that has been universally praised by informants was the establishment of a multi-agency Network formed of some 60 organisations to consider the risks of trafficking associated with the mounting of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games.
    [Show full text]