Soccer and identity: A Global History

Catalog description

This course focuses on the social, cultural and political impact of soccer across the world. It tackles issues of racial, ethnic, class and geographic identities as well as gender dynamics through an examination of the development of soccer, and its iconic rivalries. It traces the history and development of the game in various parts of the world – Asia, Africa, North America, South America and Europe. Students engage in critical analysis of a range of sources: academic and popular non-fiction books; scholarly journal articles; newspaper and magazine articles; fan literature (blogs, fanzines, FB groups etc); and audio-visual materials (films, documentaries and matches). Students learn how to use these verifiable historical evidence to construct reasoned interpretations of the human past. In discussion sessions and other classroom activities, students are encouraged to explore how interpretations of the past can be applied to address contemporary issues and problems.