Fùtbol and Piłka Nożna: The Role of Soccer in Contemporary Mexican-American and Polish-American Ethnicity in Chicago.

Abstract

This thesis examines how soccer functions as part of the construction of contemporary Mexican-American and Polish-American ethnicity in Chicago. It does this by addressing three related sub-topics. First, it explores how soccer provides not only a sense of ethnic identity, but also arenas for Mexican and Polish Americans to formulate and celebrate their ethnicity? Second, it shows how soccer is used to address the challenges Mexican Americans and Polish Americans face in Chicago? And, finally, it explores how Mexican and Polish Americans use soccer to portray themselves as resources for the host society in their struggle for public approval.