Soccer: The Sport That Binds the World

Soccer: The Sport That Binds the World
The New School - Alvin Johnson/J. M. Kaplan Hall
In 2010, the World Cup will be hosted on the African continent for the first time. When FIFA, the world soccer governing body, awarded the World Cup to South Africa in May 2004, Nelson Mandela, South Africa's first democratically elected president, exclaimed, "I feel like a 15 year old," echoing the sentiment of millions of Africans.Historically, the continent has been shunned by world football, being viewed mainly as a cheap source of talent for Europe's football leagues. Expectations are therefore high for this tournament, and debates about football and its wider significance have ensued. To mark the event, a panel of journalists, writers, and academics -- who are, most importantly, all fans of the game -- tackles soccer's relation to development, nation building, identity, expression, politics, history, media images, and consumption.Sean Jacobs, assistant professor at the graduate program in International Affairs, leads a panel that includes Time magazine's senior editor Tony Karon; Austin Merrill, author of the Fair Play blog for Vanity Fair; and writers Binyavanga Wainaina and Teju Cole.The discussion features film and video clips. Sponsored by the graduate program in International Affairs.