How Soccer Explains the World: An Unlikely Theory of GlobalizationRead about another entry on the list.
by Franklin Foer
Given its broad international popularity, soccer is a natural prism with which to view and theorize about contemporary social and political developments. Foer expiates: “Compare European soccer with American sporting teams. Our teams represent such broad geographic areas, and don't really represent anything local. What truly differentiates a Yankees from a Mets fan? I'm not sure. But in Buenos Aires, everyone knows what separates a Boca Juniors fan from a River Plate fan—there's a stark difference in class. Buenos Aires has something like eight different teams, so each team represents a distinct neighborhood, and when you represent something that local, you're representing very particular identities—class, ethnicity.”
How Soccer Explains the World is among Joshua Robinson's five must-read books on soccer.
--Marshal Zeringue
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