Speaking football in Malawi before and after 2010

This paper argues that the 2010 FIFA World Cup will entrench the masculinisation of power in many patriarchal spaces around the world, including Malawi. It will transnationally reiterate the binaries of man the universal breadwinner versus woman the universal caregiver. The paper illustrates the patriarchy of Malawi’s football, a phenomena replicated throughout the world, arguing that negative gender concepts, identities and relations may be
intensified in Malawi. This paper examines the language of football in Malawi, scrutinising how it describes the concept of play and other key activities that happen on the football pitches, comparing male-dominated football with the woman’s sport of netball, investigating how the language reflects and creates unequal gender power relations. The paper then calls for educational and media interventions to curb the reinforcement of patriarchy that may stem from the international sporting event.

ISBN: 978-1-920550-41-7
Publisher: Gender Links
Edition: 8th Edition
Year of Publication: 2010
Download : 10905_speaking_football_in_malawi_before_and_after_2010.pdf