A group of sociologists at the Institute for Social Pedagogy, Social Work and the Welfare Sciences at Technische Universität Dresden have built up the academic network - "Social Sciences and Football", which derives from lectures given on the 2006 World Cup. They not only evaluate and discuss their respective scientific studies, but also work with reports from football fans about how social problems are communicated via football, and how the world of football shapes the daily life of people, given the context of football as "the beautiful game". The results of the work is published in their book "Doppelpässe. Eine sozialwissenschaftliche Fußballschule" ("Give-and-go. A Sociological Football School").

It is shown that although football may be not the mirror of the whole world, it mirrors many of the currents that move the world and our experiences in it. In this sense, readers are encouraged to see football in a quasi "give-and-go" manner, and in this way, gain access to socio-psychological and sociological issues, and pedagogical problems. The thematic spectrum of the book covers the socially disturbing world of globalisation and the rise of racism and new religious groupings. Given this background, the dynamics of social marginalisation and desires for social affiliation become obvious. Football is presented as a microcosm that includes not only the game and its players, but also the fans and their everyday lives.

The general development of society over the years has also left its traces in football. Football has accommodated the digital world and new media and this has had a profound effect on the staging of the game. It has become a fast game with decisive moments, as demonstrated by, for example, the modern system of zone defence, which mirrors a change in social reality, as also experienced in other social areas.

In their book, the sociologists also make clear the role social of integration in football. They consider issues such as how many foreigners are taken into a team, or how the promotion or relegation of a favourite team is tied to a fan's own status. In addition, it is difficult to find a social field in which general gender issues are so clearly reflected: football is a game that is now attracting more and more women.

Rautenberg, Michael/Tillmann, Angela/Böhnisch, Lothar (Eds.)
Doppelpässe. Eine sozialwissenschaftliche Fußballschule.
Weinheim und München: Juventa 2008, 292 S., 22 Euro.
ISBN 978-3-7799-1739-7

Author: Martin Morgenstern

More Information:
Michael Rautenberg
Technische Universität Dresden
Fakultät Erziehungswissenschaften
Institut für Sozialpädagogik, Sozialarbeit und Wohlfahrtswissenschaften
Weberplatz 5 (Zi. 209c)
01062 Dresden
Tel.: 463-36272, Fax: -37276