Readers United Book Reviews | How Soccer Explains the World and The Next 100 Years

Imad Rizvi '18 returns to share two unique books that explore the world as it is, and as it could potentially be, in a thought-provoking way.

How Soccer Explains the World by Franklin Foer

Countless historians, politicians, and other analysts have tried to explain the impact of globalization. However, Franklin Foer takes a new perspective by using soccer as a lens through which to understand the world. In his book, How Soccer Explains the World, Foer argues that globalization has actually strengthened people’s ties to their local clubs, even if many believe that it has eroded other cultural traditions. Through firsthand accounts of his travels watching famous soccer teams around the world, he creates an engaging book full of interesting stories, observation, and analysis.

Foer meets some of the most passionate fans and witnesses some of the most intense rivalries in the world of soccer. He shows how globalization has failed to weaken club loyalty for many soccer fans. While many believe that globalization is creating a more homogenous world with fewer cultural and traditional divisions, Foer argues that soccer proves that tribalism and nationalism are still prominent and dangerous forces.

With a wide variety of examples from around the world, Foer clearly has the experiences necessary to assert this claim. He visits fans from the gangs of Serbia who support their team, Red Star Belgrade, through violence and hatred against the anti-Catholic Rangers fans who taunt their Catholic counterparts. In addition to his personal experiences, Foer also includes many interviews with prominent people, such as corrupt presidents of local soccer clubs, gang heads who promote violence among supporters, and eccentric soccer players who want to share their love for the sport. There are even exciting moments where readers may find themselves on the edge of their seats, fearing for Foer’s life when he describes some of the interactions he has with violent, racist soccer fans who seem to have more in common with hardened criminals than Foer himself.

Whether or not you are a passionate soccer fan, it is interesting to see how politics and economics become intertwined in the support and management of many local soccer clubs around the world. Foer is able to demonstrate that soccer may just be a game, but its influence in the lives of millions of people makes it a worldwide force that can reveal many important global trends.

Verdict: Whether or not you are interested in soccer, this book is a great read for anyone who wants new insight into the effects of globalization around the world.

The Next 100 Years: A Forecast for the 21st Century by George Friedman

Imagine a world under U.S. hegemony, fueled by space-based power, and building up to a major Mexican-American war—this is the world Friedman envisions for the 22nd century. Predicting what will happen tomorrow seems almost impossible, so, when glancing at George Friedman’s book, The Next 100 Years, it seems impossible that he could make accurate predictions that far into the future. It is true that Friedman is unable to make specific forecasts, like the dates for battles of the next major war, but some of the trends he forecasts for the next 100 years are plausible. Ranging from logical analysis of issues, such as the rising age of the workforce, to far-fetched predictions, such as the rise to power of Poland and Turkey, Friedman’s book is entertaining to read even if, at times, his logic seems flawed and far-fetched.

Friedman looks at past historical trends and themes and uses them to predict what will happen in the coming decades. He sees a world where America has unparalleled influence and prosperity, with Poland, Turkey, and Japan rising up as local power bases after the collapse of Russia, the Middle East, and China. This seems highly improbable at the moment, but the same could be said about what happened in the 20th century. Nobody was able to predict that Germany would rise up twice to challenge Western power, the British Empire would dissolve, and the United States and Russia would engage in a decades-long conflict for global dominance. So, while it is clear that his predictions are unlikely, it is also important to understand that the events of the future will likely defy our current expectations no matter what.

Additionally, some of Friedman’s predictions make sense. For example, he predicts that a labor shortage, caused by the aging workforce in countries like the U.S., will make immigration a necessity to keep the economy stable. He also predicts that the U.S. will act to maintain control of major trade routes and oceans around the world. Most strikingly, he even predicted (in 2007, when the book was published) that the U.S. could see the rise of an anti-globalization politician who would promise to reshape economic relations with protectionist legislation.

Overall, much of what Friedman predicts is hard to believe. However, some of the major trends he foresees seem likely, and the more unbelievable predictions are interesting to read. The book is engaging, as it is fascinating to see the strategies that one would use when undertaking the challenging task of predicting the next 100 years.

Verdict: This is an entertaining book that makes you think about the future in a new way. I would recommend it to anyone interested in history and politics.