Full Description

Football is unquestionably the world’s most popular and influential sport. There is no corner of the globe in which the game is not played or followed. More countries are affiliated to FIFA, football’s governing body, than to the United Nations. The sport has therefore become an important component of our social, cultural, political and economic life. The Routledge Handbook of Football Studies is a landmark work of reference, going further than any other book in considering the historical and contemporary significance of football around the world.

Written by a team of leading sport scholars, the book covers a broad range of disciplines from history, sociology, politics and business, to philosophy, law and media studies. The central section of the book examines key themes and issues in football studies, such as the World Cup and international competition, governance and ownership, fandom and celebrity. The concluding section offers in-depth surveys of the culture and organisation of football in each of the regional confederations, from UEFA to CONCACAF.

This book will be fascinating reading for any serious football fan and an essential resource for advanced students or scholars undertaking research in football or sport studies, and any practitioner or policy-maker working in football.

Table of Contents

Section I: History  1. History and Football (Matthew Taylor)  2. The Historical Significance of Locality and Regional Identity to Football (Dave Russell)  3. Association and Rugby Football (Tony Collins)  4. The Hidden History of Women’s Football (Jean Williams)  5. The Football Trust (Geoffery Z. Kohe)  6. Football and Gambling (Mike Huggins)  7. Heritage and Football (Kevin Moore)  8. Museums and Football (Kevin Moore)  Section II: Organisation  9. Football and Governance (Borjia Garcia)  10. Football Sponsorship (Anna Semens)  11. Football and International Social Development (Jimmy O’Gorman and Joel Rookwood)  12. Women’s Elite Football (Carrie Dunn and Joanna Welford)  13. Football Related Migrations (Gyozo Molnar and Christopher Faulkner)  14. Football, Economics and Finance (Stephen Morrow)  Section III: Media and Culture  15. Football and Media Matters (Raymond Boyle)  16. Football and Social Media (Peter Millward)  17. Football and Stardom (David L. Andrews and Brian C. Clift)  18. Football Fandom (Steve Redhead)  19. Football and its Fiction (Lee McGowan)  20. The Aesthetics in Football (Stephen Mumford)  21. Football and Philosophy (Steffen Borge and Mike McNamee)  Section IV: Society  22. Gender and Football (Kath Woodward)  23. ‘Race’, Racism and Football (Kevin Hylton)  24. Disability and Football (Martin Atherton and Jess Macbeth)  25. Football and Misogyny (Jayne Caudwell)  26. Homophobia in Men’s Football (Rory Magrath and Eric Anderson)  27. Football and National Identity (Anthony King)  28. Female Fans of Men’s Football (Stacey Pope)  29. Democracy and Supporter Ownership (Mark Doidge)  30. Social Network Analysis and Football (Paul Widdop)  31. Football Hooliganism (Ramón Spaaij and Alberto Testa)  Section V: Regions  32. FIFA and the World Cup (John Hughson)  33. Football in South Asia (Kausik Bandyopadhyay)  34. Football in West Asia (Mahfoud Amara)  35. Football in East Asia (John Horne and Wolfram Manzenreiter)  36. Football in Africa (Mark Fletcher)  37. Football in Europe (Christos Krassimeris)  38. Football in Oceania (Mark Falcous)  39. Football in Latin America (Pablo Alabarces and Veronica Moreira)  40. Football in North America (Charles Parrish and John Nauright)