Honestly I hate football
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According to Trevor Phillips, community conflict arises when « people who look very different » never engage with each other. He proposes a cure for this disease: football. Phillips argues that the unhappiness in diverse communities stems not from the diversity itself, but from the lack of interaction between these groups. He suggests that activities such as football, which brings together people from different ethnic backgrounds, can help create links and solve division problems. Football is seen as a means of integration because it provides a common ground where ethnic differences can be put aside. Football is a symbol of national unity and by participating in it, people show their loyalty to the nation. In return, happiness and integration are guaranteed which means that participation in common national activities can help overcome divisions and build a more united society. Football symbolizes the potential for unity as shown in Bend It Like Beckham. In the movie, football allows Jess to break free from cultural restrictions and pursue her dreams. Football is presented as a space where differences can be set aside and where you can form new identities. This promotes social cohesion and integration.
Furthermore, Sara Ahmed criticizes the idea of « culture shock» in Bend It Like Beckham by pointing out that the film simplifies cultural differences by contrasting football with Jess's restrictive life with her Indian family. Football symbolizes freedom and happiness while her home represents constraint. Ahmed also points out that proximity to white culture is linked to freedom and that Jess's joy comes from her interactions with white characters. Therefore, it suggests that integration requires assimilation into a Western culture. Ahmed challenges the idea that cultural difference is a problem to be surmounted by arguing that happiness and freedom are shaped by cultural stories that favour certain forms of belonging.