The Jeremiad in American Soccer

The jeremiad is prominently used, in multiple forms, in American soccer. The jeremiad is used in a traditional way to ask questions and spur action, such as searching for an “identity” and playing style. The jeremiad is also used to create a formula for success by idealizing the stories of individuals who have overcome personal adversity. Lastly, the jeremiad is used to demand maintenance once success has been achieved by warning against future decline. As used by those in the American soccer community, the jeremiad is not always true to the original form, but pieces are present in the form of lament and optimism. The use of the jeremiad reveals deeper truths about American soccer. First, there is a need for a sense of purpose and mission. The jeremiad fulfills this need by providing a decline and a consequence requiring action, while providing an outlet for constant evaluation of the action and progress toward the mission. If progress is not made, more work must be done. If progress is being made, then it is proof that the work was justified to get there, and must be continued. Second, the jeremiad, a form used throughout American culture to create that need for purpose, is used to make sense of change and offers a formula and reason for perseverance with the promise that all will be fine in the end.

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Work Title The Jeremiad in American Soccer
Access
Open Access
Creators
  1. Davis, Nathaniel O
Keyword
  1. Jeremiad
  2. Soccer
  3. American Soccer
License Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United States
Work Type Thesis
Publication Date 04/28/2017
Subject
  1. American Studies
Language
  1. English
Deposited April 28, 2017

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