
Dribbling Divides
Football, Islam, and Identity
Kamaludeen Nasir(Author)
Oxford University Press Inc
Will be published approx. on 8. August 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
232 pages
978-0-19-779975-8 (ISBN)
Description
Dribbling Divides: Football, Islam, and Identity offers a compelling view of how global football intersects with Muslim identity, faith, and politics in an era shaped by migration, digital media, and rising populism. Drawing from rich case studies of elite Muslim footballers, this book examines how players navigate racism, Islamophobia, and national belonging while maintaining visible piety and engaging in activism. From fasting on match days to taking public stands on global Muslim issues, these athletes challenge dominant narratives about loyalty, integration, and modernity. Sociologist Kamaludeen Nasir brings a unique perspective as both a football fan and a scholar, offering insights into the lived realities of Muslim players in Europe, the Middle East, and beyond. He unpacks how club ownership, digital performance, gender politics, and faith-based practices shape the contemporary sporting landscape. By shifting the analytical gaze from fans to players, Dribbling Divides invites readers to see football not just as entertainment, but as a site of negotiation, resistance, and reimagined identity.
More details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
New York
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 234 mm
Width: 155 mm
Thickness: 13 mm
Weight
322 gr
ISBN-13
978-0-19-779975-8 (9780197799758)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Other editions
Additional editions

Book
05/2026
Oxford University Press Inc
€141.50
Shipment within 15-20 days
Person
Kamaludeen Nasir is Professor of Sociology at Nanyang Technological University Singapore. He is currently a Senior Fellow at the Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding in Washington DC where he was Professor and the Malaysia Chair of Islam in Southeast Asia. He has been a visiting scholar at New York University, the University of California Los Angeles, The Graduate Center (City University of New York), the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, and the Australian Catholic University.
Author
Professor of Comparative and Global Sociology, Sociology Division, School of Social SciencesProfessor of Comparative and Global Sociology, Sociology Division, School of Social Sciences, Nanyang Technological University Singapore, Senior Fellow, Alwaleed Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Georgetown University, Washington DC
Content
- Introduction
- 1: "Two Hearts Beating in their Chest": Identity, Citizenship, and Affiliation
- 2: "I'll be Muslim Too": Islamophobia, Racism, and Respectability
- 3: "Who Speaks for Islam?": Shifting Values and Communities
- 4: "The Biggest Equalizer": Women and Football
- 5: "#Mashallah": Digital Piety and Activism Dribbling
- Divides... In Lieu of a Conclusion