The Football and Society Podcast

Home away from home? Belonging and resistance on the terraces of Chile's Deportivo Palestino

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Episode notes

Club Deportivo Palestino was founded in 1916 by Palestinian immigrants to Chile. After a decade of success in the 1970s, the club has retained a loyal following and stayed among the top teams in Chilean football, though success on the pitch is not the only reason for Palestino’s loyal following.

In this episode, Siri Schwabe joins us to discuss her study exploring the relationship between soccer and diasporic resistance through an examination of the club.

Following the end of Augusto Pinochet’s dictatorship in 1990, most Chilean football teams have stayed out of politics; Club Deportivo Palestino, however, poses an exception to the rule with its overt political commitment to Palestine and the Palestinian struggle. Central to this political outlook is an enduring narrative of resistance, which is embodied by the concept of sumud - sumud has come to stand for a mode of being which ‘allows for all Palestinians to feel and be recognized as foci of resistance, even in diaspora, by simply remaining Palestinian and by insisting on a continued Palestinian presence in Palestine and elsewhere’. This allows the Palestinian-Chileans in Santiago to find resistance in the everyday mode of being, living, and practicing the Palestinian, and for fans of Palestino support for their club is another means of celebrating this ‘being’ thousands of miles away from Palestine itself. Palestino’s commitment to the Palestinian struggle is therefore a central aspect of the club’s identity, for fans and players alike.

What are the circumstances that caused large-scale immigration to Chile from Palestine?
To what extent do Palestino's players support the wider cause of the Palestinian people?
How has the club responded to the latest violence in Gaza?

...all this and more in the 23rd episode of the Football and Society podcast.

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Follow Siri on Twitter: www.twitter.com/sirischwa

Email Siri: [email protected]

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Each week, Ash, Chris and Norman explore societal issues through the lens of the beautiful game.

From the ethics of gambling sponsorship to what a stadium move means for fans, we’ll be covering it all each week with expert guests from the worlds of sports journalism and sociology.