The 'Nearby' in Football: How Amateur Leagues Reconnect Urban Communities in Jiangsu
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18063/lne.v3i6.1169Keywords:
amateur football, urban community, social connection, the nearby, JiangsuAbstract
In the cities of Jiangsu, amateur football leagues are unexpectedly helping people rebuild community connections. As modern life becomes increasingly fast-paced and digitalized, many urban residents live in the same building yet remain strangers, with neighborhood ties growing weaker. However, through weekly football matches, neighbors who were once unfamiliar gradually become friends, and people of different professions, ages, and backgrounds find common ground on the same field. This phenomenon aligns with scholar Xiang Biao's concept of "the nearby"—the idea that genuine community bonds often emerge from seemingly ordinary face-to-face interactions in daily life. By observing amateur football activities in multiple Jiangsu cities, this study explores how these spontaneous football communities help urban residents rebuild a sense of belonging and examines their implications for urban community development.
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