This project aims at inviting pupils to translate their passion for football or their hate of football into a new mode of expression. Football will be treated as an important social phenomenon that reveals more about man as a biological, mental and social being than the average football spectator might imagine. Football will be considered from different, ever widening perspectives: the personal, the social, the cultural (history of ideas). We will step into the role of the anthropologist, the sociologist, the fan, the player, the betting officer, the policeman, the fan’s wife, the son of a football fan, the writer (Bill Bryson), the film director (Söhnke Wortmann), the player’s wife (Posh Spice), the editor of magazines, the members of fan sites, the musician, the producer of football gear, the sports commentator, the sponsor. The philosophical aspect is introduced both on the level of contents, i. e. when we deal with anthropological questions, but also on the level of form, i. e. in the method we apply, by using the phenomenological approach, by looking carefully at the phenomenon and by revealing people’s feelings, thoughts and experiences about football.

• Subjects: Art, Biology, Ethics, Foreign Languages, Language and Literature, Media Education, Philosophy / Logic
• Languages: ES - DE - EN - FR - IT
• Pupil's age: 12 - 19
• Tools to be used: Chat, e-mail, Forum, Other software (Powerpoint, video, pictures and drawings)
• Aims: Our main aim is to make pupils reflect on the nature of man. By choosing a very popular past time... read moreOur main aim is to make pupils reflect on the nature of man. By choosing a very popular past time activity and asking pupils to consider what football means to various groups in society, they will learn something about the underlying functions of social institutions and their relevance for man. They will not only critically reflect their own attitude towards football, they will also be able to widen their understanding of the nature of man: Man is considered in terms of his physical being, man as a mental being, man as a social or cultural being. These aspects will be enlarged upon but football always remains the point of reference, so that any abstract ideas will be illustrated by the phenomenon of football. When these three main aspects of looking at man – which cannot be separated neatly – are focus of our attention, we will always consider each aspect within three perspectives: the individual perspective, where pupils consider what they know about this topic, how they have experienced man in his physicality. The second perspective is the social one: We will investigate in which way man is seen in his physicality in the society we live in. Which attitude do people have about their body and in which way is this the result of socialization? The third perspective deals with the wider context of our cultural background, e. g. our occidental, Christian tradition of ideas or the oriental tradition. Which paradigmatic thinkers have dealt with similar issues before and what solutions have they offered to man? Are these solutions still valid or must they be modified? hide
• Work process: Work will start end of January and last until the end of July. The following topics can be investigated: Football – A.... read moreWork will start end of January and last until the end of July. The following topics can be investigated: Football – A. Man as a biological being (January, February, March): I: personal perspective Emotions we have while watching matches: fears, joys, rage Physical attraction of players: good looks, hair styles, tattoos Man’s treatment of his body: wellness, fitness, aesthetic surgery Training methods Contact sport: injuries, fouls, attacks, aggressive tackling II. social perspective Public attention paid to looks of players, to physical appearance, to man’s body in general (on TV, in talk shows, in advertisements, commercials) Hooligans, tribalism as a need to establish one’s identity III. cultural perspective Relation of body to soul in Greek philosophy; Plato: Body imprisons the soul Religious traditions of overcoming the needs of the body, meditation techniques The relevance of physical exercise for man Theory of aggression (Lorenz) Man as a morphologically ill-equipped being (Gehlen) B. Man as a mental being (March, April, May): I. personal perspective Crises in the life of players and their effect on their performance Verbal attacks on opposing teams Press coverage of matches Match analyses Creative writing on football Films about football Songs about football II. social perspective Media hype about teams, players, matches, events Players’ wages Fans’ pressure on teams: creative celebration of individual players (e. g. Gerard of Liverpool FC); team songs Media coverage of players’ life, wife, cars Football fashion as exploits of man’s creative mind Fan articles Marriage in a football stadium chapel Public viewing rituals Mental training methods Psychology of winners, losers, the social pressure to succeed, the fear of rejection and relegation Relationship of body and mind: eating disorders: anorexia III. cultural perspective Aristotle: man as being endowed with language and thus reason The relevance of the activity of playing for man Invention of games ever since antiquity, Olympic games, Man’s need for competition Aesthetic education of man (Schiller) Man’s sublimation of primitive instincts Evolutionary theory (Darwin) Relevance of heroes, the danger of idols Bacon’s idola Man’s desire to find peace to ensure his survival (Hobbes) Man’s psyche: the subconscious (Freud: Ich, Es, Über-Ich) C. Man as a social being (May, June, July): I. personal perspective Man as a team player, as a football fan, as a girl-friend of a football fan Viewing rituals, visits to the stadium, drinking problems, Betting clubs on football results; merchandise and shop assistants II. social perspective Social approval of a certain code of conduct: fairness Public disapproval of misconduct: "fair is foul and foul is fair" (Matterazzi vs. Zidane) Fans’ needs to have the latest football jersey, to follow the crowd, wants to be accepted, trendy Singing ritual and its healing effect on fans and players Losses and how fans cope with them: aggression Viewing rights and viewing costs Ticket costs, atmosphere in stadiums, comfort Media presentation of public viewings, sport events, fan’s behaviour news coverage Relation: police – hooligans; Nationality (anthems) – internationality (football songs) - intercultural awareness discrimination against players Anti-racism campaigns III. cultural perspective Man’s three basic skills: technical, pragmatic, moral (Kant) man as a social being (Aristotle) man dependent on institutions to find his identity (Gehlen) Pedagogics: experiments with groups on the manipulation of crowds, group identity Christian tradition: love thy neighbour Utilitarian ethics The ethics of empathy: Schopenhauer On the importance of rules hide
• Expected results: Pupils will read texts, analyze texts, collect newspaper articles on the theme of football, will write own texts and sharpen... read morePupils will read texts, analyze texts, collect newspaper articles on the theme of football, will write own texts and sharpen their sense of perception and improve their writing skills and their capacity of critical reflection. They will flex their creative muscle when they invent alternative ‘football fashion’ or compose supporters’ songs. Eventually the project will contribute to a better understanding of what it means to be a human being, not only a fan. In the long run it might help pupils develop their own identity by looking critically at their own behaviour and that of others and by treating their fellow men responsibly, i. e. with understanding, compassion, tolerance and good will. hide

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