Choose Your Tools
Pick the tools that work best on your device. The skill matters more than the software. Chromebook, Windows, Mac and iPad users can all complete this activity successfully.
Use this for your cultural analysis, fan experience research and written commentary.
Use this for your Step 5 fan guide or cultural explainer piece.
Use these for cultural football research, fan experience reporting and identity journalism.
This challenge deliberately engages with contested and sometimes uncomfortable cultural and political questions. Encourage learners to approach controversies with the same evidence-based discipline they would use for any research task. Strong opinions are welcome if they are supported by evidence; personal prejudice presented as analysis is not. The controversy evaluation in Step 3 is particularly important: learners should be able to state the strongest version of each side's argument before giving their own verdict.
Strong responses will distinguish between football as a cultural mirror (reflecting society) and football as a cultural force (actively shaping attitudes and identities). Look for learners who can give specific historical or contemporary examples rather than making sweeping generalisations. The cultural analysis piece in Step 5 should make an argument, not just describe.
Step 3 asks learners to evaluate a social controversy. Common choices include: racism in football stadiums, the treatment of migrant workers at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, LGBTQ+ inclusion at international tournaments, and the commercialisation of fan culture. All of these can be approached rigorously with appropriate sensitivity. If learners choose Qatar 2022 worker conditions, ensure they access balanced sources and not only advocacy materials.
