Football, Flags, and Flyovers: American Nationalism and the Violent Spectacle of the NFL
Abstract
The goal of this paper is to explore the relationship between the National Football
League (NFL) and American national identity, and to also examine professional American
football’s profound impact on the country’s visual culture—particularly during times
of warfare and tragedy. Surprisingly, the NFL—despite its status as a cultural juggernaut—has
largely evaded substantial critical analysis over the past 50 years, and very few
scholars have focused their attention specifically on the intrinsic link between nationalism
and the institution of professional football. By examining the federal pomp and circumstance
incorporated into NFL games, broadcasts, and merchandise—as well as the brutality
of the game itself—this paper aims to fill a gaping hole in the literature surrounding
sport and national identity in the United States.
Type
Master's thesisDepartment
Graduate Liberal StudiesPermalink
https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9785Citation
Gambrell, Ellen Rivers (2015). Football, Flags, and Flyovers: American Nationalism and the Violent Spectacle of the
NFL. Master's thesis, Duke University. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10161/9785.Collections
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