Most Americans would agree that watching football on the weekends and rooting for their favorite team is an integral part of Americanism. Therefore, it is not surprising that popular sports writing in the United States usually covers American football or baseball as stated in Don DeLillo’s famous prologue “The Triumph of Death” to his novel Underworld.
Franklin Foer breaks this tradition by introducing soccer to an American audience. Foer’s book has been quite successful, as ESPN ranks it among the top four books written on the culture of soccer (Caple 1). Foer does not only discuss sports, but he also journeys from stadium to stadium around the globe to provide new insight on today’s world events. He uses the globalized medium of soccer to explain political, economic and social occurrences.
In this essay, I will look at chapters seven and nine in which Foer’s argumentation is political. Therefore, this can be considered both sports, as well as political writing.
How Soccer Explains the World is organized into ten chapters, which can be read as three different parts with regard to content. “The first third of the book explores globalization’s failure to erode the game’s great rivalries and the hatreds they can produce” (Young 1). Foer then elaborates on the role of soccer in politics and economics when he explains the rise of the oligarchs and the corruption that was included in this process. In the last part of the book, the role soccer plays in preserving nationalism and for returning to the idea of tribalism is looked at in-depth.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Style/Language
- Foer's Argumentation
Objectives and Key Themes
This essay analyzes Franklin Foer's How Soccer Explains the World, focusing on how effectively soccer serves as a lens through which to understand political phenomena. The analysis centers on chapters seven and nine, examining Foer's stylistic choices and the strength of his arguments connecting soccer to global political events.
- Globalization's impact on soccer
- The role of soccer in political contexts
- Foer's stylistic choices and their effectiveness
- The limitations of using soccer to explain global political events
- The relationship between soccer and nationalism
Chapter Summaries
Introduction: This introduction sets the stage for the essay, highlighting Foer's unique approach of using soccer to explain global events. It emphasizes the book's structure, dividing it into three thematic parts concerning globalization's failure to diminish rivalries, soccer's role in politics and economics, and soccer's influence on nationalism and tribalism. The introduction also states the essay's focus on chapters seven and nine, examining Foer's argumentation regarding the political aspects of soccer, while acknowledging a selective approach to the book's content.
Style/Language: This section analyzes Foer's writing style, characterizing it as decent journalism. It notes his balanced use of researched facts and personal anecdotes, enhancing authenticity and reader engagement. The analysis highlights Foer's adaptable language, shifting between formal and informal registers, making the book accessible to a broad audience, including both soccer fans and those with political/economic expertise. The discussion touches upon Foer's use of semantic field mixing, connecting soccer terminology with political and economic concepts to bridge the gap between different reader groups. Ultimately, the section concludes that Foer's style effectively conveys his message and promotes soccer within the United States.
Foer's Argumentation: This section delves into the core argument of Foer's book – globalization's presence within the soccer world. The analysis questions whether soccer adequately explains globalization, suggesting that technological advancements and trade policies may be more significant factors. The essay criticizes Foer's tendency toward generalization, citing examples such as the Iranian women's protests following the national team's success. While acknowledging soccer's influential nature as a mass audience sport, the analysis argues that its impact on political systems is limited, suggesting that it serves more as a platform for public expression of political sentiments rather than a catalyst for revolution. The section concludes by observing soccer's unifying role, particularly in its potential to bridge divides between nations.
Keywords
Globalization, soccer, politics, nationalism, style, journalism, oligarchs, Foer, How Soccer Explains the World, economic influence, cultural impact, political expression.
Frequently Asked Questions: Franklin Foer's "How Soccer Explains the World" Essay Analysis
What is the essay about?
This essay analyzes Franklin Foer's book, "How Soccer Explains the World," focusing on how effectively soccer serves as a lens through which to understand political phenomena. The analysis centers on chapters seven and nine, examining Foer's stylistic choices and the strength of his arguments connecting soccer to global political events.
What are the key themes explored in the essay?
The essay explores several key themes, including globalization's impact on soccer, the role of soccer in political contexts, Foer's stylistic choices and their effectiveness, the limitations of using soccer to explain global political events, and the relationship between soccer and nationalism.
What aspects of Foer's book does the essay cover?
The essay provides a comprehensive overview of Foer's book, including an introduction, analysis of Foer's writing style and argumentation, and summaries of key chapters (specifically focusing on chapters seven and nine). It also includes keywords summarizing the major topics discussed.
What is the essay's assessment of Foer's writing style?
The essay describes Foer's writing style as decent journalism, characterized by a balanced use of researched facts and personal anecdotes. It highlights his adaptability in language, shifting between formal and informal registers to reach a broad audience. The essay also notes his effective use of semantic field mixing, connecting soccer terminology with political and economic concepts.
What is the essay's critique of Foer's argumentation?
The essay questions whether soccer adequately explains globalization, suggesting other factors like technological advancements and trade policies are more significant. It criticizes Foer's tendency toward generalization and argues that while soccer is influential, its impact on political systems is limited, serving more as a platform for public expression than a catalyst for revolution. However, it also acknowledges soccer's potential unifying role.
What are the main conclusions of the essay?
The essay concludes that while Foer's book offers valuable insights, the connection between soccer and global political events might be overstated. Soccer's influence is significant as a platform for political expression and a potential unifying force, but it may not be the primary explanatory factor for many global political phenomena. Foer's writing style, however, is deemed effective in conveying his message and promoting interest in soccer.
What are the keywords associated with the essay and Foer's book?
Keywords include: Globalization, soccer, politics, nationalism, style, journalism, oligarchs, Foer, How Soccer Explains the World, economic influence, cultural impact, and political expression.
What chapters of Foer's book are specifically analyzed in the essay?
The essay focuses primarily on chapters seven and nine of "How Soccer Explains the World," analyzing Foer's arguments and stylistic choices within those chapters.
- Quote paper
- Jannis Rudzki-Weise (Author), 2010, Globalization in Foer's "How Soccer Explains the World", Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/163361
