Dr. Banu Senay

Biography

Banu Senay is a social anthropologist whose work has significantly contributed to the fields of political anthropology, Turkish studies, diasporas, and the anthropology of Islam and Muslim practices. She received her PhD in Anthropology from Macquarie University in 2010. Over the past two decades, Dr. Senay's research has centered on the intricate connections between state-driven projects, modernity, and the everyday practices of citizens. Her book, 'Turkey's Borders: Long-Distance Kemalism, State Politics and the Turkish State' (2013), explores the relationship between political and religious fields in the context of state-sponsored transnationalism. Another noteworthy publication, 'Musical Ethics in Islam' (2020), engages with important debates in anthropology regarding ethics, skilled learning, pedagogy, and Muslim subjectivity, particularly in the context of Sufi Islam. Dr. Senay’s current research, funded by the Australian Research Council, focuses on the Islamic bureaucratic organ of the Turkish state, 'Diyanet', and explores embodied Islamic practices within its educational and cultural domains. She has published in numerous respected journals and has previously held a post-doctoral fellowship at the University of Melbourne.

Research Interests

Experience