African 303: Soccer in Africa

This course studies representations of soccer in sub-Saharan Africa. It is meant to make us think about African soccer as cultural and political practice, while keeping in mind that this is a sport, or a game. What does this sport, “the beautiful game” as it is called, the most widely followed and adored game, mean to Africans?  What is the role of fans and spectators, alongside readers of literatures and viewers of film? How does soccer link Africa to the rest of the world? We will cover the history of the game, in the world and in Africa, and its social impact; we will learn about both magic and racism in African soccer; we will read novels, discuss paintings, and watch films that represent soccer in meaningful ways and connect it to important issues of the neocolonial world.

Readings:

• The Belly of the Atlantic, (Fatou Diome, novel, Senegal/France, 2007)
• African Soccerscapes. How a Continent Changed the World’s Game, (Peter Alegi, 2010)
• Various journal articles on magic, racism, the World Cup, etc.

Films:

• The Golden Ball, (Doukouré, Guinea 1994)
• The Pirogue, (Touré, Senegal, 2011)
• The President, (Bekolo, Cameroon, 2013)
• Timbuktu, (Sissako, Mali, 2014)