1st Edition

Soccer, Culture and Society in Spain An Ethnography of Basque Fandom

By Mariann Vaczi Copyright 2015
244 Pages
by Routledge

244 Pages
by Routledge

244 Pages
by Routledge

Spanish soccer is on top of the world, at international and club level, with the best teams and a seemingly endless supply of exciting and stylish players. While the Spanish economy struggles, its soccer flourishes, deeply embedded throughout Spanish social and cultural life. But the relationship between soccer, culture and national identity in Spain is complex. This fascinating, in-depth study... Read more

"But Why, We Lost!" An Introduction PART ONE: PASSION, COMMUNITY AND DOUBLE BINDS Chapter One:"An Englishman Came to Bilbao:" A Social History of Athletic Club Chapter Two: "A Unique Case in the World:" Basque Exceptionalism and Identity through Soccer Chapter Three: Bilbao Catch-22: Passions and Double Binds in Soccer Madness PART TWO: A MATTER OF BALLS Chapter Four: Melodramas of Masculinity and Morality Chapter Five: Fans, Writers, Leaders and Players: Women`s Breakthroughs in Soccer`s Gender Regime Chapter Six: Dangerous Liaisons, Fatal Women: The Fear and Fantasy of Soccer Wives and Girlfriends in Spain PART THREE: POLITICAL GEOGRAPHIES Chapter Seven: Together and Apart at the Basque Derby: A Prisoner`s Dilemma Chapter Eight: "The Spanish Fury:" The Basques, the Catalans and the National Team PART FOUR: LIFE, DEATH AND CONTINUITY Chapter Nine: Death in the Cathedral: Life Cycle Rituals and Mortuary Practices in Sport Stadiums Epilogue: "Now is the Time to Rise!"

Biography

Mariann Vaczi is Research Associate at the Center for Basque Studies, University of Nevada, USA. She is a cultural anthropologist focusing on the social, cultural and political dimensions of sports, especially soccer.