Overview

Jorge Knijnik's wonderful new book, The World Cup Chronicles - 31 Days that Rocked Brazil, is a unique and different look at the 2014 World Cup and its social, cultural, political and sporting impact on the people of Brazil. The World Cup wasn't 'just' a football tournament for Brazilian people - even though it came to be defined by the infamous 7-1 semi-final result against eventual winners, Germany - but it was part of the national psyche and important social change, overlaid by what we now know as corrupt practices within world football which included those in power in football in Brazil over decades. Knijnik's book looks at before, during and after the World Cup and discusses the much-vaunted 'legacy' issues to which FIFA has always pointed as being what they give back to a nation.

Full Product Details

9780648133315

Table of Contents

Reviews

Jorge Knijnik leads us to consider grand issues. Along the way, though, he tells the fascinating stories of the coaches and players who have made Brazilian soccer such an iconic phenomenon, as well as the stadiums in which they have performed (and those in which very few people will ever perform again) and the powerful figures who oversaw the decline of the nation of football so sadly apparent in the 7-1 loss. Most of all, Jorge focuses on common people of his home country, introducing us to women and men who battle great odds to make Brazil serve its population more justly. The vivid commitment they show, with a vibrant mixture of optimism and practicality, runs through these pages, echoing the author's own passionate take on the nation of his birth and, with any luck, inspiring similar feelings in all those who read this remarkable book. Roger Kittleson, Professor of History, Williams College, Connecticut USA As I read through all chapters of this excellent book, my views over Brazil and football have been reinforced: football has never defined Brazil's arguably single identity and culture; instead, as regarded and described by Jorge Knijnik, it is Brazil as a country, with its diversity, its difficulties, its qualities and its challenges that gives to football its uniqueness as a sport. Brazil is football's own particular country. Luiz Guilherme Piva, Brazilian economist and political scientist

"""Jorge Knijnik leads us to consider grand issues. Along the way, though, he tells the fascinating stories of the coaches and players who have made Brazilian soccer such an iconic phenomenon, as well as the stadiums in which they have performed (and those in which very few people will ever perform again) and the powerful figures who oversaw the decline of ""the nation of football"" so sadly apparent in the 7-1 loss. Most of all, Jorge focuses on common people of his home country, introducing us to women and men who battle great odds to make Brazil serve its population more justly. The vivid commitment they show, with a vibrant mixture of optimism and practicality, runs through these pages, echoing the author's own passionate take on the nation of his birth and, with any luck, inspiring similar feelings in all those who read this remarkable book."" Roger Kittleson, Professor of History, Williams College, Connecticut USA ""As I read through all chapters of this excellent book, my views over Brazil and football have been reinforced: football has never defined Brazil's arguably single identity and culture; instead, as regarded and described by Jorge Knijnik, it is Brazil as a country, with its diversity, its difficulties, its qualities and its challenges that gives to football its uniqueness as a sport. Brazil is football's own particular country."" Luiz Guilherme Piva, Brazilian economist and political scientist"

Author Information

Jorge Knijnik Jorge is an Associate Professor at the Western Sydney University (School of Education and Institute for Culture & Society). He was born in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil's southernmost state. He moved to Sao Paulo with his family as a child, and started to love football watching Pele playing on the Pacaembu stadium. Jorge writes and researches on a number of topics, from sport in society, culture and history, to gender and human rights in education, to physical education pedagogies, to drama studies and fandom culture. His current research examines the socialisation process within football fans in Greater Western Sydney and how football fandom has the potential to make a significant contribution to community cohesion and regeneration in the area. He is also involved in a number of projects looking at the political and cultural contradictory legacies of sports mega events in Brazil He currently lives in Sydney with his four children and his wife, where he enjoys the beautiful beaches and his bike rides - but misses the Brazilian rhythms.

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