Football, Masculinities and Health on the Gaza Strip

Abstract

This analysis is built on two questions: first, what discourses of a masculinity of resistance maintaining a sense of normality under abnormal conditions are drawn from the interviews of the footballers referred to in this article, and second, to what extent is football experienced as and felt to be a ‘free space of health’ for the Gaza players in a context of war and blockade and in relation to the situation before 2007. To answer these questions, the author interviewed, during July 2011, male athletes, coaches and managers in nine football clubs in Khan Younis and Gaza City. She also conducted 18 qualitative interviews during November 2011 with footballers in the two top Gaza leagues in Rafah, Khan Younis, Gaza City and Shati Prison Camp.