The Universe is Shaped like a Football: Football and Revolution

Abstract

Football has had a long and rich history as a liberating force. It has been an important agent of social integration and a major arena in which ethnic and religious identities – local, national and regional – and conceptions and practices of gender and class are played out. It has created a culture where fraternity and cooperation are common and has served as a vehicle for independence and dignity. This essay pays homage to some of the football players, teams, fans, projects and dreams that have been in the front lines of struggles for social justice, community and a better world. It focuses on men and women who have understood the game's connection to larger social and political transformations and, in word and deed, helped further its equalitarian and inclusive nature, thus also helping to transform society.

Keywords::

• Arab Spring
• women's football
• fans
• Robben Island

Notes

^1.Shahidian, Women in Iran, 222–4.

^2.Foreman, War Game, 1–68.

^3.Bellos, Futebol, 30–6.

^4.Whittington, The Sport of Life and Death, 22–37.

^5.Goldblatt, The Ball is Round, 16–18.

^6.Kuhn, Soccer vs. theState, 18–21, 142–4.

^7.Edelman, Spartak Moscow, 114–63.

^8.Riordan, “The Match of Death.”

^9.Nait-Challal, Les dribbleurs de l'indépendance, 95–9.

^10.El-Sayed, “Ruled by the Game,” 681; Lopez, “Football as National Allegory.”

^11.Tuastad, “Al-Wihdat.”

^12.Alegi, Laduma!, 32–7, 186–92.

^13.Korr, More than Just a Game, x–xii

^14.Nimah, Tottenham ‘Til I Die’, 77–97.

^15.Gyatso, Fire Under the Snow, 222.

^16.Dorsey, The Turbulent World of Middle East Soccer; El-Zatmah, “From Terso into Ultras”; and Tuastad, “From Football Riot to Revolution.”

^17.Free Syrian Translators, “Revolution Icon.”

^18.Bosi, “Matthias Sindelar.”

^19.Perez and Rof, “Football Rebels: Predrag Pasic.”

^20.Perez and Rof, “Football Rebels: Sócrates.”

^21.Elsey, Citizens and Sportsmen, 207–42; Perez and Gilles, “Football Rebels.”

^22.Perez and Rof, “Football Rebels: Didier Drogba.”

^23. “Kurt, Turkish Football's ‘Left Winger’, dead at 64,” Hürriyet Daily News, August 25, 2012, 362. http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/kurt-turkish-footballs-left-winger-dead-at-64.aspx?pageID = 238&nID = 28559&NewsCatID = 362

^24.Mubarak, “The Amazing Story of Iraq's Football Legend.”

^25.Mueller-Kroll, “Soccer Pioneer.”

^26.Maynard, The Aboriginal Soccer Tribe, 62–84.

^27.Galeano, Soccer in Sun and Shadow.

^28.Orwell, “the Sporting Spirit,” 110–5.

^29.Marcos, “Let the Games Begin,” 159–65.

^30.Negri, “On Futbol and Class Struggle.”

^31.Vienet, Enrages and Situationists, 113–4.

^32.Kennedy and Kennedy, “Fan Culture in European Football,” 167–82, 246–61.

^33. Easton Cowboys & Cowgirls. http://eastoncowboys.org.uk/

^34. Homeless World Cup. http://www.homelessworldcup.org/; World Amputee Football. http://www.worldamputeefootball.com/

^35.Jacobs, The Dick, Kerr's Ladies, 98–102.

^36.Williams, A History of Women's Football, 55–9.

^37.Grainey, Beyond Bend it Like Beckham, 260–79.

^38.Benn, Jawad and Pfister, Muslim Women and Sport. 1–35.

^39.Turnbull, “Pride of Lions.”

^40.InEnArt, “Three Sided Football.”

^41.Whitehouse, “Cosmos is ‘Shaped like a Football’.”

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Alon K. Raab

Alon K. Raab teaches in the department of Religious Studies at UC, Davis, and his true religions are football and bicycles. Co-editor of The Global Game: Writers on Soccer (University of Nebraska Press, 2008) and Soccer in the Middle East (Routledge, 2014) and author of articles, essays, and encyclopedia entries about sport and society, he is a right-winger but only on the playing fields.