Carl Rommel, "Egypt’s Football Revolution: Emotion, Masculinity, and Uneasy Politics" (U Texas Press, 2021)

Oct 27, 2021

Carl Rommel, a Swedish social anthropologist, explores the turbulent intertwining of football, politics, and identity in Egypt. He discusses how football, once a symbol of the Mubarak regime, became a medium for revolutionary expression during the 2011 uprisings. Rommel highlights the significant role of Ultras fans, who navigated their passion amidst political dissent, particularly after the tragic Port Said massacre. He uncovers shifting notions of masculinity and emotion related to sports culture, questioning football's potential for fostering political change in modern Egypt.

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Intro

00:00 • 3min

Football, Politics, and National Identity in Egypt

03:07 • 22min

The Turning Point: A Loss That Changed Egyptian Football

24:41 • 3min

The Rise of the Ultras: Politics and Passion in Egyptian Football

27:35 • 5min

The Rise and Fall of Egyptian Ultras

32:40 • 12min

The Duality of Egyptian Football

45:06 • 7min

Navigating Fan Reentry and Literary Influences in Sports

52:05 • 2min

Both a symbol of the Mubarak government’s power and a component in its construction of national identity, football served as fertile ground for Egyptians to confront the regime’s overthrow during the 2011 revolution. With the help of the state, appreciation for football in Egypt peaked in the late 2000s. Yet after Mubarak fell, fans questioned their previous support, calling for a reformed football for a new, postrevolutionary nation.

In Egypt’s Football Revolution: Emotion, Masculinity, and Uneasy Politics (U Texas Press, 2021), Carl Rommel examines the politics of football as a space for ordinary Egyptians and state forces to negotiate a masculine Egyptian chauvinism. Basing his discussion on several years of fieldwork with fans, players, journalists, and coaches, he investigates the increasing attention paid to football during the Mubarak era; its demise with the 2011 uprisings and 2012 Port Said massacre, which left seventy-two fans dead; and its recent rehabilitation. Cairo’s highly organized and dedicated Ultras fans became a key revolutionary force through their antiregime activism, challenging earlier styles of fandom and making visible entrenched ties between sport and politics. As the appeal of football burst, alternative conceptions of masculinity, emotion, and politics came to the fore to demand or prevent revolution and reform.

The book is available for purchase for customers in Europe and the Middle East from Combined Academic Books. Quote CSFS2021 at check-out for 30% discount; and for customers in the US at the University of Texas Press. Quote UTXROMEGY at check-out for 20% discount.

Paul Knepper used to cover the Knicks for Bleacher Report. His first book, The Knicks of the Nineties: Ewing, Oakley, Starks and the Brawlers That Almost Won It All was published in 2020. You can reach Paul at paulknepper@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @paulieknep.

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