Calcio Popolare: politics and place-belongingness in solidarity grassroots football in Italy

Research output: Contribution to conferenceAbstract

Abstract

In the aftermath of the so called “refugee crisis”, in Italy, populist parties with a critical stance on immigration have capitalised on a widespread concern about cultural diversity among Italians (Geddes and Pettrachin, 2020, p.234). In June 2018, the Five Stars Movement and the right-wing populist party, the League, created a coalition government that sought to take a highly restrictive approach to immigration and asylum (Strazzari and Grandi, 2019). In this context, grassroots football has increasingly become a privileged setting for civic associations and social movements to create safe spaces of inclusion and socialisation and challenge mainstream – often xenophobic – narratives about immigration. In recent years, these experiences have converged in an informal network of grassroots football projects known as the calcio popolare (literally, popular football) movement.

In this paper, through a discussion of the spatial practices adopted by the grassroots football projects investigated in my research, I will provide some reflections on the transformative potential of football in the day-to-day lives of people subjected to precarity and mechanisms of exclusion. In particular, with consideration of the policies of exclusion emanated by the former Ministry of Interior, Matteo Salvini, I will discuss how these spaces were experienced, navigated and negotiated by people seeking asylum. Finally, I will illustrate the extent to which a politically oriented approach to space may open opportunities for people seeking asylum to develop senses of belonging to the locality as well as moments for them to “constitute themselves as citizens” (Isin, 2008 p.18) regardless of their status.
Original languageEnglish
Pages50
Number of pages1
Publication statusPublished online - 2022
EventSport and social responsibility: Science and practice in times of crisis - University of Debrecen, Debrecen, Hungary
Duration: 21 Oct 202222 Jan 2025
https://konferencia.unideb.hu/en/contact-esa-research-network-28

Conference

ConferenceSport and social responsibility
Country/TerritoryHungary
CityDebrecen
Period21/10/2222/01/25
Internet address

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Calcio Popolare: politics and place-belongingness in solidarity grassroots football in Italy'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this