How Soccer Explains the World (An Unlikely Theory of Globalization)
By: Brendan Verano Soccer does explain the World. It is a very interesting book drawing parallels about historical moments/recent history and how they were connected with football issues going on at the moment in the same places. Franklin Foer asserts that both the positive and negative effects of globalization have over done its influence. He proves this through soccer. This sport, which everywhere but in the United States is the most popular team sport of the poor, provides an alternate focal point to both globalized economies and traditional religions and cultures. Capitalists are unable to compete against a sport that manages to change its image in ways to suit local conditions. (Text to Itself) The first chapter for example tells about Serbian groups, their connection with football and how they were instrumental in the Yugoslavian wars. In that chapter you read lots of names that ring a bell from having followed football recently: Obilic, Arkan, the great Red Star of 1...