Racism, Xenophobia, Antisemitism, and Islamophobia in European Football: Symptoms, Sources, and Solutions [Hardcover]

This book examines the prevalence of racism, xenophobia, antisemitism, and Islamophobia in European football. It provides critical assessments of selected policies, strategies, campaigns, and initiatives that have been developed by various stakeholders aimed at combating these discriminatory practices.

1. Introduction: Key contexts, terms and nomenclature. 2. Conceptual and theoretical considerations: Racism, xenophobia, antisemitism and Islamophobia. 3. England: Islamophobia in English professional and amateur football: A blind spot. 4. France: Les Bleus and the Republic: Diversity, difference and discrimination. 5. Germany: Tensions and contradictions in football: Integration versus discrimination. 6. Italy: Racism, xenophobia, and the North-South divide in football. 7. The Netherlands: Racism and policy responses in Dutch football: A critical evaluation. 8. Poland: Nationalism, racism, xenophobia and football fan sub-cultures: Historical developments and contemporary issues. 9. Portugal: Making sense of and tackling racism in football. 10. Scotland: Sectarianism as racism in football? The cut and thrust of an ongoing debate. 11. Spain: Understanding and fighting racism in football: A story of ignorance and half-heartedness. 12. Sweden: Swedish society and football at odds with each other  So open, yet so closed. 13. Europe (I): Supranational political and policy responses to racism and discrimination in football. 14. Europe (II): Comparative observations: Commonalities and differences.

Udo Merkel is a German social scientist who spent most of his life working at HE institutions in England, UK. He has a keen interest in the political economy of football, politics and sociology of sport, mega sports events as a foreign policy and diplomatic tools, globalisation, comparative European sport studies, and fan cultures. Now semi-retired, Udo is based in Spain and works as a consultant and indepenló,