About

Header photograph by Brazilian Photographer Andre Cherri, used with permission. Visit his flickr site for more of his photographs.

This blog was founded by Professor Laurent Dubois as a place for commentators, including students in the Duke University class “World Cup and World Politics” to post thoughts, musings, rants, links, etc. related to the history and politics of soccer. Since 2009, Professor Dubois has continued to edit the site as in order to host ongoing discussions about the culture and politics surrounding the global game.

Since then contributors have included students in the Fall of 2013 in “Soccer Politics,” taught by Laurent Dubois and Achille Mbembe, and students in the Spring 2015, Spring 2016 and Spring 2018 iterations of “Soccer Politics,” taught by Laurent Dubois.

In 2018, Duke produced this multi-media documentary site about the course, called “Politics, History and the Beautiful Game.” 

Professor Laurent Dubois is Professor of Romance Studies and History at Duke University, and Faculty Director of the Forum for Scholars and Publics.

His is the author of Soccer Empire: The World Cup and the Future of France (Berkeley: University of California Press, 2010) and The Language of the Game: How to Understand Soccer (New York: Basic Books, 2018)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We welcome your comments!

To read about the 2009 visit of Lilian Thuram to Duke, click here.

To see an interview with Professor Dubois from Duke’s online office hours, click here.

To hear an interview about Soccer Empire on BBC’s The World, click here.

18 thoughts on “About

  1. Matt Capone

    Hey! Love your blog! Yes! Sounder Fans rock.

    We are hosting the one and only JAVIER ZANETTI in Seattle.
    Please pass on the word. It’s a once in a lifetime if you don’t live in Italy.

    GENOVASOCCERUSA.COM

    Thanks!

    Matt Capone
    Executive Assistant to Morris Pagnielli
    GENOVA SOCCER USA
    genovasoccerusa.com

    Reply
  2. Michelle K

    Hello!

    I was wondering if I could seek advice on where I could find market information on EPTS wearables. The closest thing I found in this blog was the IHS report on ‘Sports, Fitness and Activity Monitors’ dating back to 2014. Is there any market information that is more recent or more focused on EPTS wearables?

    I would tremendously appreciate any and all insight you could provide.

    Best,

    Michelle

    Reply
    1. Colin O'Reilly

      I love this site. Great knowledge into football. Just wondering if you thought satire could be a powerful tool in football politics in the future? like failmuch.com

      Reply
  3. Premier League Heroes

    Hi,

    Great blog and interesting read.

    I also run a football blog focusing on ex Premier League footballers with information on their careers and what they are up to now. There are currently over 400 players on there and growing week on week. You can view the website http://www.premierleagueheroes.co.uk

    Would you consider adding my site as a linked resource on your site.

    Regards

    Reply
  4. Gabi Renteria

    This has been such a great website that I’ve been referring to for my research paper. I’d like to thank you for the information and say it is a wonderful blog!

    Gabrielle Renteria

    Reply
  5. Neal Pease

    I am pleased to learn of this blog, and grateful to a colleague for having tipped me off to it. I am beginning research into topics in the connection between soccer and politics/society in the recent history of Poland, but interested in the subject in its global aspect as well, and look forward to reading future contributions.

    Reply
  6. Andy Carmichael

    just wanted to say hello as I’m a fan of the site and just starting out on a PhD in promoting pro-environmental behaviour in English football. Not a huge field of academic research at the moment! sites like this give me hope I might find some sort of audience when I get to grips with better blog writing.

    Reply
  7. Best Soccer Cleats

    Kudos to Professor Laurent Dubois for creating such a wonderful resource. I came to know about soccer politics which is totally new for me. So as people says, politics all around. Will follow the blog and updates.

    Reply
  8. Maizupath

    Nice blog Professor Laurent Dubois. You have done a great job by creating this soccer politics blog. I’m in and will wait for any update in the future.

    Reply
  9. Rafael Chavero

    I am a Duke Law School LL.M (1998) from Venezuela. I am the Executive President of Deportivo Petare FC, a first division soccer team (currently at 3° place). I just found out about this blog and I will follow it. Please let me know if you need any help or information from Venezuela’n soccer.
    Regards,
    RCH

    Reply

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