Sports in Africa, Past and Present

Sports have played a significant role in shaping African identities and the continent's place in the world. This collection explores various topics such as women's football, long-distance runners, stadiums, fandom, and sports as resistance and identity-forging.

Format: Hardback
Length: 256 pages
Publication date: 20 October 2020
Publisher: Ohio University Press

These groundbreaking essays delve into the profound ways in which Africans have harnessed the power of sports to forge intricate identities and shape the dynamic landscape of Africa on the global stage. Since the late nineteenth century, modern sports in Africa have served as a vibrant mirror, reflecting and shaping cultural, social, political, economic, generational, and gender relations across the continent. While colonial powers initially introduced European sports as a tool for "civilizing" indigenous populations and perpetuating notions of racial hierarchies and "muscular Christianity," Africans swiftly embraced these sporting practices to cater to their diverse aspirations. This comprehensive collection encompasses a diverse range of topics, including the remarkable stories of women footballers in Nigeria, the exceptional achievements of Kenyan long-distance runners, the significance of pitches and stadiums in communities of all sizes, the passionate fandom, the emergence of pay-to-watch kiosks, the global sporting diaspora, the role of sports pedagogy, the transformative power of sports as resistance and a means of identity formation, the preservation of sports heritage, the interplay of politics with sports, and the captivating biographies of remarkable athletes. Through these insightful narratives, the essays shed light on the intricate tapestry of sports in Africa, highlighting its role as a catalyst for social change, cultural expression, and national pride.

Weight: 590g
Dimension: 156 x 236 x 25 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780821424254