A woman's place recurring: structuration, football fandom and sub-cultural subservience

Abstract

This paper focuses on qualitative interviews with a sample of female football fans in order to explore and explain the spatial and temporal extension of gender subordination prevalent within football fandom cultures. To do so, it draws on structuration theory as presented by Anthony Giddens and concentrates attention on routine interactions and encounters as key factors that shape the constitution of football fandom cultures and the sub-cultural struggles encountered by females.

Notes

^1. The term football is used throughout this paper to refer to the sport of Association Football, often abbreviated to ‘soccer’.

^2. The following media outlets in the North East of England gave time and column inches to promote the research. Newspapers: The Journal; The Northern Echo; Hartlepool Mail; The Sunderland Echo; Evening Gazette, Newcastle Evening Chronicle. Television: BBC North East News; ITV North-East Tonight. Radio: Durham FM 102.6; Century Radio 106; BBC Tees.

^3. Liverpool, aged 20, (MF).

^4. Darlington, aged 20 (STH).

^5. Sunderland, aged 32 (MF).

^6. Middlesbrough, aged 42 (MF).

^7. Hartlepool, aged 22 (MF).

^8. Hartlepool, aged 33 (STH).

^9. Middlesbrough, aged 24 (STH).

^10. Middlesbrough, aged 42 (STH).

^11. Hartlepool, aged 20 (STH).