Football in Calcutta : a battleground for identity

Abstract

The study of sport and society encourages fresh perspectives in understanding the impact that historical processes have on people. Although cricket remains the most popular sport in India, football is loved and cherished in Calcutta. Football is deeply linked to the political and social developments throughout the history of Calcutta since the introduction of the sport. Tracing the history of the sport allows for a greater understanding behind the complexities and nuances of how different communities view each other. This research is an attempt to untangle the convolutions surrounding the rise of nationalism, communalism and sub regionalism in Calcutta. An interdisciplinary approach of using Social Identity theory will reveal that football functioned as a platform and is an agent for communities to express cultural superiority.

“For years this game has been the battleground for identity in this city, through times of occupation, independence, war and immigration. It gives us a chance to validate our place here.”