From fanzines to foodbanks: Football fan activism in the age of anti-politics

This article is concerned with an emerging trend in political participation: the role played by football fans engendering activism and protest. The of fan debate on patterns civic (dis)engagement – age so-called anti-politics has been ignored scholarly literature thus far. As a corrective, this examines development over last thirty years, since creation English Premier League 1992. It adopts case study approach centred supporters’ movements argues that both quantitatively qualitatively changed period. Employing sociological theory Manuel Castells it claims collective identities developed resistance to commercialisation commodification within have into more distinct ‘project identities’ seek bring about profound social change through football.