Local relations and transnational imaginaries: football practices of migrant men and women from Andean countries in Spain

Abstract

In this paper, I will analyse the football practices of South American, mainly Bolivian and Ecuadorian, migrants in Spain. Through their football leagues – which are highly organized, involve both sexes and are played on communal sports fields – first generation migrant workers build social networks, appropriate urban space and demand public attention in the host society. In addition, these tournaments between migrants from different national and regional backgrounds reflect and forge imaginaries that transcend the local. This symbolic transnationalism is especially strong during mundialitos (Small World Cups) organized by Spanish institutions for the immigrant population. The paper shows how the meanings of migrant football and the purposes of tournament organization shift according to the societal context and situation.

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