Jonathan Wilson, journalist, author, founder and editor of The Blizzard, joins us on Thursday, December 5, at 4pm Eastern (9pm GMT) for a free-wheeling 90-minute discussion about the craft of independent fútbol writing in a digital age.

In case you are unfamiliar with it, The Blizzard is a noncommercial football quarterly that combines short- and long-form writing and publishes in both analog and digital formats. Issue Nine is being served up for Thursday’s session, download it here. It includes a tasty menu featuring, among others, David Conn on the rise of Manchester, and Manchester City; Simon Kuper’s dissection of Barcelona tactics; Philippe Auclair interview with Michael Garcia, Fifa’s Ethics Committee chairman; Gwendolyn Oxenham’s search for a kickabout in Iran; Anthony Clavane’s examination of Leeds, ‘the North’, and the contradictory narrative of northern realism; and Igor Rabiner speaking with Lev Yashin’s widow.

Independent English-language publications like The Blizzard and the recently defunct U.S.-based XI Quarterly, or Howler for that matter, suggest that journalists and scholars share many similar challenges and opportunities in publishing rigorously entertaining, meaningful football writing aimed at readers worldwide. We plan to tackle many different issues and questions related to this topic [Click here to read Peter Alegi’s blog post on this].

To participate in the 90-minute session that takes place simultaneously at Michigan State University and online via Skype, please contact Peter Alegi (alegi.peter AT gmail.com) with your Skype name (if Peter doesn’t already have it). Members can also email or tweet him (@futbolprof) questions before the session.

The Football Scholars Forum is pleased to announce the opening of its new season on Thursday, October 24, at 3:30pm Eastern Time (8:30pm GMT). We will read and critique Peter Alegi and Chris Bolsmann’s Africa’s World Cup: Critical Reflections on Play, Patriotism, Spectatorship, and Space (University of Michigan Press, 2013). You can hear more about the edited book in Peter’s interview with New Books in Sports.

As is customary with FSF, the editors, as well as several chapter authors, will participate in a live 90-minute session that takes place simultaneously in East Lansing, Michigan, and online. If you would like to participate in the Skype discussion, please contact Alex Galarza (galarza[DOT]alex[AT]gmail.com) with your Skype name (if Alex doesn’t already have it). Members are also encouraged to email questions to Alex before October 24.

On November 14, we will discuss FSF member Alon Raab’s special issue/edited volume on “Soccer in the Middle East” published in Soccer and Society (2012). In December, the focus shifts to football publications in a digital age, with special guest Jonathan Wilson, fútbol journalist, author, and editor of the quarterly magazine The Blizzard.

On Wednesday, December 5, FSF members met in East Lansing and online to discuss Jun Stinson’s documentary film The 90th Minute. We were joined by Gwen Oxenham, the producer of Pelada and author of Finding the Game: Three Years, Twenty-five Countries, and the Search for Pickup Soccer.

Participants in the session listened to Peter Alegi’s interview with Jun and Gwen’s reflections on the film, as well as her perspective on women’s professional soccer. Discussion topics also included international comparisons; salary inequities; limited media coverage; fan loyalty and other significant challenges facing the new league to launch in the U.S. in early 2013.

Participants: Melissa Forbis, David Kilpatrick, Alon Raab, Alex Galarza, Peter Alegi, Alejandro Gonzalez, Chipande Hikabwa, Alexander Kitroeff, Benjamin Dettmar, and Lindsay Krasnoff.

Listen to the audio from the session here. (For educational/personal use only.)