Nationalism, Sexuality, Violence, and Cricket.

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Nationalism, Sexuality, Violence, and Cricket

In his essay From Game to War, Alan Dundes creates a strong link between the aggressiveness males show both on the field of war and on the filed of play. He believes that this instinct that is shown in sports to check, push, trip, tackle, and hit one's opponent is the same instinctual characteristic shown by soldiers in the army. This masculinity that is manifested by these athletes and warriors come from one single root. Both soldiers and athletes, he argues, attempt to feminize their opponent through aggression and not stop until their opponent has completely sacrificed.1 Since these athletes manifest similar aggression and violence to soldiers and fighters, the fans, or fanatics, watching often inherit these characteristics. For example, in India, and all of South Asia in fact, cricket has become the sporting craze. It has become this craze for numerous reasons. Firstly, it is the sport that unified the country while under British-rule and helped them achieve their freedom. Secondly, it is one of the few sports countries, such as India, excel at on the international stage and thus the fans rally behind their players. Thirdly, and most importantly, the huge rivalries