Football Fandom, Protest and Democracy: Supporter Activism in Turkey (Critical Research in Football)

Football Fandom, Protest and Democracy offers an in-depth and inside approach to the socio-political history of football in Turkey, where fandom is often revered as part of the national identity, presenting the historical context for football events in the country. Based on original research, the book explores the complex political processes at play in modern Turkey and deepens our understanding of fandom, fan activism and protest movements, questioning all presuppositions about the society and football fandom in Turkey. In particular, it examines the role of football fans in the pro-democracy Gezi Protests of 2013, the history of football in Turkey, the sociology of the middle classes and the transformation of football in the country. Interdisciplinary in nature, this book is a valuable resource for scholars and students of sports sociology, popular culture studies, Turkish studies and media studies. Cover 2 Half Title 3 Series Page 4 Title Page 5 Copyright Page 6 Dedication 7 Table of Contents 8 List of figures 9 Foreword 10 Acknowledgements 13 Introduction 15 1. A socio-historical context of football in Turkey 23 2. Football in the Ottoman Empire 38 3. Football in the new Republic of Turkey (1923–1960) 53 4. A new political paradigm (1960–1980) 75 5. Hyper-commodification of football in Turkey 93 6. Football during the AKP period (2002–) 112 7. Gezi matters 136 8. Virtually among the fans 191 Conclusion 248 Index 257 Introduction -- A socio-historical context of football in Turkey -- Football in the Ottoman Empire -- Football in the new Republic of Turkey (1923-1960) -- A new political paradigm (1960-1980) -- Hyper-commodification of football in Turkey -- FootballdDuring the AKP Period (2002- ) -- Gezi matters -- Virtually among the fans -- Conclusion. In this series, Rev. Kenneth E. Hagin shares important aspects of believing with your heart.