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Italy and Italian football have captured the imagination of writers and fans across the globe. The Italia ’90 world cup reaffirmed Italy’s standing as a world power in football. It also marked a turning point in global sport. At the end of the twentieth century, global sport underwent a period of profound transformation. In parallel to similar process taking place elsewhere in politics, economics and society, sport was entering a period of de-regulation and commodification, which impacted national leagues and local fans. Despite the intensification of transnational global networks resulting from de-regulation, individual nation states still hold significant power. Likewise, national leagues are still significant to football clubs despite the growth of global markets and transnational competitions. Yet these global processes of commodification and de-regulation have impacted fans in vastly different ways. This thesis provides analysis of Italian football in relation to the impact of the changing global political economy. Through analysis of the Italian political economy, it will identify the complex personal networks operating across Italian business, politics and football. This has witnessed the emergence of a number of significant charismatic leaders who operate across these networks and utilise patronage to gain an advantage. These patrimonial networks were initially successful, as Italian football quickly adapted to the changing global economy. However, it has not capitalised on this early success. Italian clubs are struggling financially in relation to their European peers. This has been compounded by a series of crises have impacted Italian football. The crises within Italian society and football have impacted the engagement of fans. Political engagement has fallen and this is replicated in the stadiums. The historical failure of the Italian state to impose itself has been further undermined by globalisation processes. Traditional regional identities have been reinforced as globalisation has further weakened the nation state. Changes to the patterns of consumption have combined with these traditional identities and has led to a greater particularisation in society. Individualism and regionalism have grown, and this has led to a decline in engagement with wider public life and social capital. One aspect of this decline has been demonstrated by several high profile violent incidents, and deaths at Italian matches. The impact of this decline will be addressed in relation to the formation of supporters’ groups and the match-day experiences of fans. Ultimately this decline is financially affecting the clubs which further contributes to the overall crisis within Italian football.

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This study is the first research conducted in the field of sociology of health and illness that explores the impact of chronic illness, specifically end-stage renal failure (ESRF), on Saudi women. In order to examine how traditional Saudi structures influence the illness and disability experience of Saudi women, this study explores distinctive socio-religious values of Saudi Arabia within.the framework of western sociological concepts. The aims of this study are to explore gender-related issues that affect the various aspects of chronically ill and disabled Saudi women's life; to examine the impact ESRF has on their quality of life, as well as their perceptions of themselves and their illness (body image, self-concept and identity) that may prove to be detrimental to their family care-giving roles and relationships; and to determine how they manage their everyday life. Although these concepts are highlighted in western sociological literature, this study critically re-evaluates them in the light ofthe socio-cultural differences' found in Saudi society. In Phase I, a survey questionnaire was used to obtain socio-demographic information about all female patients (n=216) undergoing haemodialysis (HD) at the Jeddah Kidney Centre over a three month period. Following exclusion of all non-Saudi women and all Saudi women under age 24 years and over age 59 years, this produced a sampling frame of 150 Saudi women between the ages of 24-59 years, from which the sample for interview was selected by 'systematic sampling'. In Phase II, a qualitative method was utilized to obtain in-depth data from participants in their own words about their illness experience. The sample comprised 50 Saudi women (age 24-59 years) mainly from a low socio-economic background undergoing haemodialysis who were interviewed in-depth on two occasions approximately three weeks apart. A 'grounded theory' approach was used to analyse the recurring patterns and themes explored in the data. The findings indicate that the gender based social structure of Saudi Arabia that upholds the family and its traditions acts as a socio-cultural constraint to chronically ill women with ESRF. The societal perpetuation of ideal roles of wife and mother and the imposition of rigid expectations for women conflicted with the realities of living with chronic illness that disrupted their traditional family roles and relationships, distorted their self-perception and ultimately threatened their identity. These women's increased dependence on their female relatives to provide domestic support further weakened their status within the family and eventually sabotaged their efforts to maintain normality in their life. The findings further suggest that the gender based issues arising out of socioreligious values of Saudi society regarding female dependence on their male legal guardians and male relatives had a negative impact on the economic aspect of life for Saudi women with ESRF. Since these women primarily came from a low income background, the onset of ESRF placed additional financial constraints on their resources and sources of support that further diminished their quality of life. These findings suggest that the Saudi social structure actually disabled chronically ill Saudi women from managing their everyday life. In conclusion, this study proposes policy implications that the Saudi State needs to implement in order to improve the quality of life of wom,en with ESRF and their families, such as, increased financial resources, improved dialysis facilities, and transportation services; along with home healthcare.

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This thesis examines how retirees make use of the Internet and computer technologies at home, as well examining the relation of these newer technologies to older Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) in this sphere. It begins by reviewing previous research on older adults and Internet use, and highlighting gaps in this literature, including a lack of research on Internet use in everyday contexts, particularly the home, and a failure to situate experiences of Internet use in later life within experiences throughout the lifecourse. The importance of contextualising Internet use within `real' bodies and spaces is emphasised. Secondary data analysis was then used to examine wider patterns of Internet use among older people, and the relation Internet use in later life to living situation, lifestyle and demographic variables. Following this, the main methodology of the study involved gathering data using multiple qualitative interviews and time-use diaries, which were conducted with retirees in 17 UK households. The central argument drawn from this data is that computer and Internet use in later life need to be contextualised within the `embodied technobiographies' of individuals and cohorts. This contributes a unique perspective to discussions of age divisions, illustrating that they cannot simply be understood as the result of material and physiological changes in `old age', but as the outcome of struggles applying embodied technological competencies acquired over a lifetime to new technologies. It also has practical implications for policy makers, and illustrates the importance of practical methods of learning computing, and the importance of relating new technologies to earlier competencies and biographical interests. These findings, and the novel concept of `embodied technobiographies' developed in this thesis, also have broader implications for developing sociological theories of embodiment, technology, gender, ageing, generations and social change.

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This investigation is concerned with specifying the ways In which language use varies In the homes of young children from different social classes and the consequences this has for the complexity of the language used by the four year old. In order to assess this twenty first born four year old children were selected on the grounds that they wore representative of certain groups within semi-skilled workers and within professional/managerial workers. The sample was also equally divided between boys and girls and all children were born In Aberdeen. Speech samples were obtained with the aid of a radio microphone system which was built Into the back of a small jacket which the child wore as It walked around the home. The middle class children addressed more speech to their parents even when certain Issues (e.g. fantasy discussions) which occurred more frequently in middle class homes were omitted. Our conclusions were that this was mainly due to a larger amount of play discussion and other non-control discussion occurring in these homes and the greater length of such conversations. Class variations in control discussion were found in that middle class parents questioned their children more In such sequences, used more suggestions, fewer threats and a lower proportion of regulative statements. More marked, however, were the social variations in the extent of non-control discussion and the type of dialogue strategy adopted by parents in such sequences. Middle class parents extended such dialogue more through criticism of their children's remarks or by providing more information not minimally required. We argue that such variation in dialogue development does not lead to less elaboration of the working class children's language, that in certain respects It fosters more elaborated forms (e.g. questions), and that what Is more significant than linguistic variation in this age group is the variation In the amount of knowledge being built up about the world around them.