FOOTBALL SCHOLARS FORUM

FSF’s final session before the winter break took place on December 13, 2021. It featured Carl Rommel and a discussion of his new book, Egypt’s Football Revolution: Emotion, Masculinity, and Uneasy Politics (University of Texas Press).

In addition to the author, participants included:

Abraham Seda, Andrew Guest, Brian Bunk, Derek Goncalves, Enrico Castro Montes, Frank Dell’Apa, Karl Zoller, Ryan Turcott, Tarminder Kaur, Tonunbo Ojo, Alon Raab, and Peter Alegi.

Listen to an audio recording of the session below (for personal/education use only).

Our next gathering is on March 3, 2022 (3pm US ET, 8pm UK) with Andrew Guest and his book, Soccer in Mind: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the Global Game. Use Promo Code RFLR19 on the publisher’s website for a 30% discount.

Contact Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to participate via Zoom. Happy Holidays!

On November 11, 2021, we welcomed historian and author Brian Bunk for a lively discussion of his new book, From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States.

Participants included: Declan Abernethy, Matthew Brown, Chuck Carlson, Itamar Dubinsky, Andrew Guest, Pat Brown, Andrew Guest, Christian Hesle, David Kilpatrick, Tom Langton, Andrew Lee, Tom McCabe,Jeffrey Organ, Stefan Szymanski, Adam Winkel, and Peter Alegi.

Our next session is scheduled for December 13, 2021 (2pm US ET), featuring Carl Rommel’s book, Egypt’s Football Revolution: Emotion, Masculinity, and Uneasy Politics.

Contact Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to participate via Zoom.

Listen to the audio recording of the session with Brian Bunk (for personal/educational use only):

We opened the 2021-22 season with Simon Kuper and his new book, The Barcelona Complex: Lionel Messi and the Making—and Unmaking—of the World’s Greatest Soccer Club. 17 participants joined the author for 90 minutes of engaging conversation.

The discussion explored a variety of topics, including: modes of writing, Kuper’s positionality, and the intended audience for the book; Barcelona’s structure and identity; playing style and talent development at La Masia; Cruyff and Messi’s massive influence on the club; the role of Barca women; and club’s dire economic situation today.

Listen to the audio recording of the session below (for personal/educational use only):

Our next session is scheduled for November 11 with Brian Bunk and his new book, From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States.

Contact Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to participate via Zoom.

• October 5, 2021 (3pm US ET): Simon Kuper, The Barcelona Complex: Lionel Messi and the Making—and Unmaking—of the World’s Greatest Soccer Club [link]

• November 11, 2021 (2:30pm US ET): Brian Bunk, From Football to Soccer: The Early History of the Beautiful Game in the United States [link]

• December 13, 2021 (2pm US ET): Carl Rommel, Egypt’s Football Revolution: Emotion, Masculinity, and Uneasy Politics [link]

• March 2, 2022 (3pm US ET): Andrew Guest, Soccer in Mind: A Thinking Fan’s Guide to the Global Game [link]

• April 2022: Roundtable on the Qatar World Cup

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Zoom invitations will be made available one week prior to the event.

For more information, email Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu).

The 2020-21 season closed on June 8 as Chris Bolsmann and Dil Porter joined us for a discussion of their book, English Gentlemen and World Soccer: Corinthians, Amateurism and the Global Game.

Participants included: Gabe Logan, Matthew Brown, Stefan Szymanski, Andrew Lee, Martha Saavedra, Titi Kou, Chuck Carlson, Jon Dart, Andrew Guest, David Kilpatrick, Rwany Sibaja, Brian Bunk, Enrico Castro Montes, and Peter Alegi.

Listen to the audio recording of the session (for personal/educational use only):

Enjoy the Euros and see you in early October for the opening of the 2021-22 season, featuring Simon Kuper and his new book, The Barcelona Complex.

We are pleased to announce that our last session before the Euros is scheduled for Tuesday, June 8, at 3pm US Eastern (8pm UK time). Chris Bolsmann and Dil Porter will join us for a discussion of their book, English Gentlemen and World Soccer: Corinthians, Amateurism and the Global Game.

According to the publisher, the book “critically reassesses the club’s role in the development of football and fills a gap in existing literature on the relationship between the progress of the game in England and globally. Most crucially, the book re-examines the sporting ideology of gentlemanly amateurism within the context of late-nineteenth century and early-twentieth century society.”

To receive the Zoom invite please email Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu).

On April 24, FSF came together to discuss the extraordinary events of the past week with the rise and fall of the European Super League. Participants included: Titi Kou, Tom McCabe, Andrew Lee, Stefan Szymanski, Adam Winkel, Lindsay Avant, Derek Catsam, Brian Wesaala, Chuck Carlson, and Peter Alegi.

Listen to the audio recording of the session (for personal/educational use only):

Our second session of 2021 took place on April 21 as David Trouille joined us to discuss his new book Fútbol in the Park: Immigrants, Soccer, and the Creation of Social Ties.

Participants included Tony Adedze, Chris Bolsmann, Peter Jones, Titi Kou, Chris Gaffney, Declan Abernethy, Nicholas Howe Bukowski, Dil Porter, Ted Richards, Chuck Carlson, Simon Rofe, Andrew Lee, Andrew Guest, Enrico Castro Montes, and Peter Alegi.

Listen to the audio recording (for personal/educational use only):

FSF’s next event is in early June (date/time TBD), featuring English Gentlemen and World Soccer: Corinthians, Amateurism and the Global Game, by Chris Bolsmann and Dil Porter. Email Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to register.

It is our pleasure to welcome sociologist David Trouille, author of Fútbol In the Park: Immigrants, Soccer and the Creation of Social Ties (University of Chicago Press, 2021), to FSF on April 21, 2021 at 3:00pm US Eastern Time (2000 London time).

From the publisher: Fútbol in the Park “takes us into the world of Latino soccer players who regularly play in an upscale Los Angeles neighborhood where they are not always welcome. Together on the soccer field, sharing beers after the games, and occasionally exchanging taunts or blows, the men build relationships and a sense of who they are. Through these engrossing, revealing, and at times immortalizing activities, they forge new identities, friendships, and job opportunities, giving themselves a renewed sense of self-worth and community. As the United States becomes increasingly polarized over issues of immigration and culture, Fútbol in the Park offers a close look at the individual lives and experiences of migrants.”

Email Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to sign up and receive a Zoom invite.

Our first session of 2021 took place on February 25 as Heather Dichter joined us to discuss her edited volume Soccer Diplomacy: International Relations and Football since 1914.

Participants included Brenda Elsey and Chris Bolsmann, who contributed chapters to the book, as well as Stefan Szymanski, Andrew Lee, Andrew Guest, Enrico Castro Montes, Itamar Dubinsky, Jermaine Scott, Chuck Carlson, Lindsay Avant, Jon Dart, Mike Cole, Tom McCabe, Sarah Dwyer-Shick, Alon Raab, Anakwa Dwamena, Arnaud Amouroux, Simon Rofe, and Peter Alegi.

Listen to the audio recording: (personal/educational use only).

FSF’s next session is on April 21 at 3pm US ET (8pm UK) with David Trouille and his new book, Fútbol in the Park: Immigrants, Soccer, and the Creation of Social Ties. Email Peter Alegi (alegi AT msu DOT edu) to participate via Zoom.