The Centre for Leadership and Governance (Department of Government) and the Institute of Caribbean Studies, both of the University of the West Indies Mona Campus, will host the Inaugural Academic Conference on International Football on April 16 – 17, 2014.

The Conference will be sited on the Mona Campus at venues to be announced. The theme for this year’s Conference reads “Ideology, Culture, Politics and Everyday Life”.

The island of Jamaica has had a long association with the sport of football, dating back to the colonial era of the 19th century. In 1998, the country made history by becoming the first English-speaking Caribbean country to qualify for the FIFA World Cup with a team led by Jamaica Football Federation President Captain Horace Burrell, Brazilian Technical Director Rene Simoes and National Coach Carl Brown.

The Conference will seek to explore the sport and its development in Jamaica while examining and addressing issues and themes that are central to a larger global narrative. These will include: the role of football as explored and discussed by various disciplines; the impact of various local regional and international sporting bodies on the game; models of the game as seen in different geographies; the elements that determine the ethos of amateur, semi-professional and professional football; the success and/or failure of various approaches used in the game; the impact of globalization on the sport and the way forward.

These areas of discussion become even more relevant as the football fraternity prepares for the upcoming FIFA World Cup 2014 beginning in June of this year. We are desirous of bringing together representatives (local and international players, coaches, administrators and enthusiasts) reflecting the growth, breadth and geographical spread of the sport towards contributing to the dialogue that surrounds the game and its development in a spirit of camaraderie and goodwill. The programme will include panels, discussions, roundtables and short films.

For further information and details:

The Inaugural Academic Conference on International Football Secretariat at:
Inaugural Academic Conference on International Football
Centre for Leadership and Governance
Department of Government
Faculty of Social Sciences
University of the West Indies
Mona, Kingston
TEL: 977-5935, 935-8633
EMAIL: acif2014@gmail.com

www.facebook.com/acif2014