PLSC 401 - The Comparative Politics of Soccer

This course will comparatively examine the political impact of soccer (formally known as Association Football), the world’s most popular sport. Soccer is played around the globe both uniting and dividing people on all continents and nations revealing, strengthening, and weakening identities. However, identity is not the only political or social concept that can be highlighted and studied through soccer. In fact, soccer is an excellent lens to examine and understand a great many of the key concepts of comparative politics, such as: Institutions, inequality, gender representation, various forms of violence, regional, ethnic, and religious divisions, secession, state recognition, global migration, human rights, processes of globalization, diplomacy, dictatorship, corruption, propaganda, imperialism/colonialism, fascism and anti-fascism, racism and anti-racism, democracy, civil society, and more.

Prerequisites & Notes: One course from: PLSC 250, PLSC 261, PLSC 271, PLSC 291, PLSC 366, PLSC 433, PLSC 434; or instructor permission.
Credits: 4
Grade Mode: Letter
WP Points: 3