Home Institution
Claremont McKenna College
Publication Date
Fall 2019
Abstract
The last century of Spanish history has been characterized by entrenched division between Spain and its regional communities. The Basque Country, Catalonia, and Spanish central government all remain divided on Spain’s status as a plurinational State. Today, Spanish football has become a direct representation of this dilemma, an ethno-regional arena for intense competition between Spain’s prominent nationalities: Basque, Catalan, and Spanish. With differing stances on independence and the state of Spain, these regions have used their football clubs as a representation of their regional identities. In this paper, I will analyze the identities of Spain’s top three football clubs: FC Barcelona, Real Madrid, and Spain. I will then demonstrate how the actions and behaviors of these clubs reveal the perceptions each region holds of themselves and each other.
Disciplines
Civic and Community Engagement | European Languages and Societies | International Relations | Social and Cultural Anthropology | Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature | Sports Studies
Recommended Citation
Kinney, Jaelin, "Football and National Identity: A Triangle of Spain’s Regional Attitudes" (2019). Independent Study Project (ISP) Collection. 3355.
https://digitalcollections.sit.edu/isp_collection/3355
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, European Languages and Societies Commons, International Relations Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons, Spanish and Portuguese Language and Literature Commons, Sports Studies Commons
Program Name
Spain: Policy, Law, and Regional Autonomy in Europe