Book Chapters
I have written two book chapters, both investigating different aspects of race and political relations in professional wrestling. The research has been really fun–it’s an interesting aspect of social, cultural, and political history. I was also one of four authors from the first book to present at the Annual Meeting of the American Historical Association, which was an amazing experience.
Back of ring: The Iron Sheik, born in Iran but later billed as Colonel Mustafa from Iraq, and Nikolai Volkoff, born in the Ukraine but billed at times from Mongolia and the Soviet Union.“Deepest, Darkest Africa(, Illinois): Cultural Appropriation in Professional Wrestling.” Identity in Professional Wrestling: Essays on Nationality, Race and Gender. McFarland, 2018.
- Wrestlers’ identities are often based on their nationality, but the sport has a long tradition of people claiming a national or cultural identity other than their own.
“From Chitlins to Championships: Limited Opportunities for African American Professional Wrestlers.” Sports in African American Life: Essays on History and Culture. McFarland, 2020.
- African American wrestlers have faced threats, segregation, and discrimination. They have been forced to portray offensive stereotypes, and they are also rarely considered to hold major titles and be the public face of the promotion.
Picture by Ethan, licensed under Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.0 Generic