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Fields Of Fervour: The Use of Football For The Promotion Of Nationalism By Authoritarian Regimes Within Regionalised States
Rawcliffe, Joseph Callan
Rawcliffe, Joseph Callan
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Abstract
In the contemporary political climate, several authoritarian politicians are attempting to use football as political vehicle for the promotion of nationalist sentiment within their respective states. Over the last few decades, a significant amount of scholarly literature has analysed the theory regarding the relationship between football, collective identity, and nationalism. Using the three historical case studies of fascist Italy, Francoist Spain, and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, this thesis explores the practical application of such theory analysing whether football is indeed an effective political tool for the promotion of nationalism within the specific context of regionalised states. The research finds that, despite placing significant emphasis on football for the promotion of nationalism, the regimes’ efforts are often unrealised in the context of the sport. International football, in its banal representation of the state, does provide a platform which can unite the populace and help facilitate state nationalist sentiment. Such impact is, however, fleeting given the infrequency of international football matches, and the fact that in divided states the official national team is often not seen to truly represent the whole population. Domestic football, on the other hand, whilst lending itself to more frequent appropriation by the regime, thrives on rivalries between clubs. As a result, domestic football often maintains or exacerbates divisions within society as clubs becoming bastions of sub-state nationalism in states containing several national identities. Although football must be understood as one part of authoritarian regimes’ wider cultural policy, this thesis demonstrates the limitations of the sport in promoting nationalist sentiment in states characterised by regional and national division.
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Thesis (B.A. in International Affairs, Minor in Classical Studies)--John Cabot University, Fall 2024.
Date
2024
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Keywords
Soccer, Political aspects, Sports and state
Citation
Rawcliffe, Joseph Callan. "Fields Of Fervour: The Use of Football For The Promotion Of Nationalism By Authoritarian Regimes Within Regionalised States". BA Thesis, John Cabot University, Rome, Italy. 2024.