Details

Subject(s)

• Football—Social aspects—United States [Browse]
• Football players—United States—Social conditions [Browse]
• Social values—United States [Browse]
• National characteristics, American [Browse]

Series

Contemporary sports issues. [More in this series]

Summary note

• Learn the value of football to American society No sport reflects the American value system like football. Visitors to the United States need only watch a game or two to learn all they need to know about the American way of life and the beliefs, attitudes, and concerns of American society. Football and American Identity examines the social conditions and cultural implications found in the football subculture, represented by core values such as competition, conflict, diversity, power, economic success, fair play, liberty, and patriotism. This unique book goes beyond the standard fare on football strategy and history, or the biographies of famous players and coaches, to analyze the reasons why the game is the essence of the American spirit. Author Gerhard Falk, Professor of Sociology at the State University College of New York at Buffalo, examines football as a game, as a business, and as a reflection of the diversity in American life. Football and American Identity also addresses the relationship between football and the media, with much of the game's income generated by advertising and endorsements, and examines the presence of crime in football culture. The book discusses the development of the game—and those involved in it—at the Pop Warner, college, and professional levels, examining the social origin of players, coaches, cheerleaders, and owners. In addition, Football and American Identity analyzes the game's fans and their devotion to “their” teams, examines why Pennsylvania is considered the “mother” of American football, and looks at the National Football League and its commissioners. Football and American Identity examines: how individualism and achievement can lead to mythological status why a person's occupation is the most important indicator of prestige in the United States what the consequences are of earning more in a year than most
• Americans make in a lifetime why equality is vital to the ethnic make-up of American football teams why teamwork is important-in football and in industry how freedom is essential for taking the risks necessary for success and much more!Football and American Identity is an inside look at football as an American cultural phenomenon. Devoted and casual fans of the game, as well as academics working in sociology, will find this unique book interesting, entertaining, and thought-provoking.

Notes

Reprint. Originally published in 2005 by Haworth Press.

Bibliographic references

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Source of description

Description based on online resource; title from PDF title page (ebrary, viewed November 5, 2013).

Language note

English

Contents

• ch. 1. The school and American football
• ch. 2. College football : the professionals minor league
• ch. 3. Football as a profession
• ch. 4. Football and social stratification
• ch. 5. They also serve
• ch. 6. Fanatics
• ch. 7. Football and the media
• ch. 8. The football business
• ch. 9. Crime and American football
• ch. 10. The national football league.

Show 7 more Contents items

ISBN

• 9781135427214
• 1135427216
• 9781315044125
• 1315044129
• 9780789025265
• 0789025264
• 9781135427146
• 1135427143

OCLC

• 862048899
• 900483310
• 908072335

Doi

• 10.4324/9781315044125

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