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Friendships, Community Ties, and Non-league Fandom: Opting ‘Out’ from the Commercialization of the Premier League and ‘In’ to Leftist Political Scenes

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Abstract

Non-league football fandom has become a key site of social activism in recent years. This chapter provides an ethnographic account of fans of two clubs—Dulwich Hamlet and Whitehawk—whose fans organize various political campaigns through their club. They see each other in friendly terms and regularly interact to share ideas and celebrate their particular style of fandom. Over time, personal relationships form that encourage further dialogue and support.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    ‘Food banks’ are non-profit, charitable organization that distributes food to those who have difficulty purchasing enough food to avoid hunger. They were introduced to the UK in the light of the recessions caused by the global economic crisis that emerged in 2008.

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Cleland, J., Doidge, M., Millward, P., Widdop, P. (2018). Friendships, Community Ties, and Non-league Fandom: Opting ‘Out’ from the Commercialization of the Premier League and ‘In’ to Leftist Political Scenes. In: Collective Action and Football Fandom. Palgrave Studies in Relational Sociology. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73141-4_3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-73141-4_3

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