UPSA Bachelor Thesis Award to Emma Erstad
2023-09-26
Uppsala Political Science Association Bachelor Thesis Award 2023 will be awarded to Emma Erstad, for her thesis entitled: "A Game of Deception: Exploring Sportswashing’s Effect on Supporters’ Attitudes through an Elite Soccer-Club Purchase"
The motivation formulated by the prize committee of the Uppsala Political Science Association reads as follows:
Emma Erstad’s thesis explores if and how the purchase of an elite soccer club affects club supporter attitudes toward the buyer state’s characteristics and values. The study leverages subnationally disaggregated survey data to test the effect of the purchase of Manchester City and Paris Saint Germain, respectively, on attitudes towards autocratic leadership and democratic principles among residents in the clubs’ home areas. The question formulated in the thesis is novel to the field and directs attention to the important topic of how authoritarian values are disseminated and adopted in society. Erstad skilfully executes a difference-in-difference design which allows her to test her theoretical argument in a convincing way. Her discussion of the results is transparent and nuanced and showcases an excellent understanding of methodological limitations and avenues for future research. All in all, the committee is very impressed with Erstad’s work and we hope it will become an inspiration to future students of political science.
The prize will be handed out in connection with the 2023 Skytte prize lectures by Martha Finnemore and Alexander Wendt, which takes place in Brusewitz Hall on Friday, September 29, starting at 15:15.
The prize committee consists of Emma Elversson, Robin Rönneke Belfrage and Moa Mårtensson.
Uppsala Political Science Association