Football culture and the politics of localism : a case study of Chonburi Football Club

This thesis examined how Chonburi Football Club (CFC) is able to ignite forms of localism to emerge. As part of the objectives, it explored the means in which forms of association to the Club create, shape, and reinforce identities of supporters, whom may not be specifically from or tied to the geographic space of Chonburi. As it is in everyday life that football culture is primarily perpetuated, expressed and experienced, this thesis presents a qualitative view on how contemporary identities are created through the powerful vehicle of sport and outlines the implications it has as a social phenomena. Qualitative approaches were used to gather data from semi-structured ethnographic interviews and content analysis was applied further understand the means in which a sense of localism is created. Results from the thesis suggests that there is a three-way relationship between the ‘individual, province, and club’ in which enables interactions to occur in aspects of social, cultural, economical and political dimensions. Through the activity of football, it has enabled up to six to seven thousand individuals from various backgrounds to gather on a weekly basis, creating and heightening a sense of pride like never before. If viewed as a social system, the Football Club, Provincial Administration Organization and the Chalarm Chon Community are agents, relying on one another to maintain and reproduce the structure of the community. Research findings suggests that membership and identification with CFC has served as a fountain, providing a source of ‘we-feelings’ and a solid sense of belonging in both the private and public spheres. In short, the following conclusions to be made: 1. Football serves a socio-emotional function; 2. Football and football-related activities encourage a process of socialization to take place. It is a tool in the transmission of beliefs and norms; 3. Through the use of football, it has served as an integrative function in aiding the integration of individuals, groups and communities together and heightening a sense of unity, pride and belonging; 4. Football has served political function(s) for those in power as the fan clubs provide as political bases for those in power; 5. And lastly, it has served other non-sport purposes such as facilitating community projects through the networks of fan clubs.