The Zurkhāneh and Its Milieu: A Study of Traditional Athletics in Iran - Philippe Rochard

The athletes, pahlavans, and the zurkhaneh, where they practice martial arts and spirituality, are often presented as the cornerstone of traditional Iranian masculine identity. Philippe Rochard’s immersive study allows us to observe a sporting passion and way of life and to discover how the staging of the self and of the group have evolved in Iran.