Jorge Knijnik’s second work of non-fiction via Fair Play Publishing is a compelling contribution to sports literature: a Brazilian-born Australian humanities academic writing about his passion-football-in his homeland and the continent it belongs to.
Exquisitely researched and written, it captures the elegance of the star players and the visceral struggles in South American societies describing the social and political context of football on the content where jogo bonito is a force that both divides and unites people.
The backdrop of volatile politics, oppression and inequality in the continent is painted behind vignettes of football games, players, politicians and the sport itself.
Jorge Knijnik manages to capture the heat, both political and literal, in his descriptions of Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, their beautiful games, and their beautiful players.
Tales of South American Football weaves the fabric of culture and sport in 13 chapters that give the reader a path into modern history and social realities in the region.
Football is on every page. It is glorious, passionate and at times revolutionary.
Зміст
Foreword by Dr Andy Harper
Introduction
PART 1: PASSION
Boca vs River: The world’s most spicy clásico
El Clásico Cafetero: The curious story of a tripartite coffee derby
Tricampeões! The communist coach, the despot and the Seleção’s
third World Cup title
The Most Painful Defeat: The 1982 Sarrià Tragedy and the demise
of the jogo bonito
Higuita, El Loco: A Colombian hero and a game-changer
Azul y Oro, Maradona y Riquelme: Power, neoliberalism, and passion in La Bombonera
PART 2: REVOLUTION
The Karimachus: Bolivian women and the feminist battle in
South American Football
Smashing the Rules: Afonsinho and the end of players’ slavery A Black Panther on the Field? Reinaldo, the goal-scorer who
challenged a dictatorship
Sócrates: Elegance and political fight–on and off the pitches No Mercy for Despots: The hinchadas with memory
The Yellow Shirt Controversy: Social class struggle and the future of South American civilisation
PART 3: GLORY
Glorious Marvels of South America References
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Про автора
Jorge Knijnik was born in the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil’s southernmost state. He moved to Sao Paulo with his family as a child and began his love for football whilst watching Pele play in the Pacaembu stadium. Jorge writes and researches on a number of topics, including sport in society, culture, and history; gender and human rights in education; physical education pedagogies; drama studies; and fandom culture. Jorge’s current research examines the socialization process within football fans in Greater Western Sydney and how football fandom has the potential to make a significant contribution to community cohesion and regeneration in the area. He is also involved in a number of projects that examine the political and cultural contradictory legacies of sports mega-events in Brazil. Jorge is an Associate Professor at the Western Sydney University (School of Education and Institute for Culture & Society), and kives in Sydney with his wife and four children, where he enjoys the beautiful beaches and his bike rides-but misses the Brazilian rhythms.