Playing left wing; from Sunday League socialism to international solidarity. A social history of the development of Republica Internationale FC

Abstract

Republica Internationale FC is a socialist football club that is part of a broader international network of like-minded alternative grassroots clubs. Collectively the members play and campaign worldwide on a variety of issues in a variety of settings. This article reveals how the club has struggled to define and sustain itself more than 30 years. It explores what socialist football is, how the club was conceived and nurtured, how it is organized and how the international network was cultivated. It spans the clubs operations from the Sunday League mundane to the international spectaculars. It tracks how the club has adapted to confront many social and political challenges. It examines external and internal ideological conflict, the club's successes and setbacks, and how gender transforms the club. The article critically evaluates the club's credibility. It offers an insight into how leftist culture can flourish and be sustained in grassroots sport.

Notes

^1.Kuhn, Soccer versus the State; Totten, “Freedom through Football; a tale of community activism and resistance.”; Totten, “Sport, Community Action and Autonomy.”; Simpson and McMahon, Freedom through Football.

^2.Ledwith, Community Development.

^3.Totten, “The Social History of Republica Internationale FC.”

^4.Republica Internationale, “A constitution of sorts!”

^5.The Empire of the Kop, “The Bill Shankly Quotes.”

^6.Republica Internationale, “Republica; A History.”

^7.IJamming, “The iJamming Book Review.”

^8.Republica Internationale, “A constitution of sorts!”

^9. Ibid.

^10.Simpson and McMahon, Freedom through Football.

^11.Totten, “Freedom through Football; a tale of community activism and resistance.”

^12.KIPTIK, “About KIPTIK.”

^13.Mondiali, Mondiali Antirazzisti, “Homepage.”

^14.Mondiali, Mondiali Antirazzisti, “History of Mondiali.”

^15.Montague, “Punks, Prostitutes and St Pauli.” Totten, “Fan Power; Calling the shots.”

^16.Republica Internationale, “Mexico 2003; Freedom through Football.”

^17.Icaza, “Whose Prosperity and Security?”

^18.LGBWhat?, “Understanding Trans Identities.”

^19.Republica Internationale, “A constitution of sorts!”