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The UltraS: an emerging social movement?
[journal article]
Abstract In recent years, there has been a rise in the conflict between the Italian police forces and football fans. This situation is a
result of the resurgence of the UltraS (the S capital is a neologism of this study to suggest neo-fascist oriented fans' and
to differentiate them from the wider hardcore... view more
In recent years, there has been a rise in the conflict between the Italian police forces and football fans. This situation is a
result of the resurgence of the UltraS (the S capital is a neologism of this study to suggest neo-fascist oriented fans' and
to differentiate them from the wider hardcore football supporters -ultra’). However, despite their popularity among the
Italian curve (football terraces), the UltraS have been the subject of fairly little ethnographic research. This paper is the
result of ethnographic research conducted continuously between 2003-2006 and updated from 2007 to the first part of
2009. The research sought to evaluate the UltraS phenomenon via an examination of the internal and external dynamics
of two nationally well-known groups located in the Italian capital of Rome (the Italian centre of the political power).
The groups are the Boys Roma and the Irriducibili of Lazio who enact their performances on their respective curve
(football terraces) of the city’s Olympic stadium. The present paper argues that the ideological alliance between the
UltraS of Lazio and Roma (followed as example by other UltraS groups throughout Italy) , the death of Lazio fan
Gabriele Sandri in 2007 (and concomitant violent UltraS’ reaction against the police) together with the existence of the
UltraS Italia (a national organisation which unites the main Italian Ultras groups) are all elements that signify the
beginning of a common meaningful opposition to the perceived repressive Italian State. Most importantly these
elements appears indicating the UltraS as an emerging social movement.... view less
Keywords
soccer; fan; hooligan; propensity to violence; political ideology; neo-fascism; social movement; mobilization; collective identity; public opinion; opinion formation; Italy
Classification
Political Process, Elections, Political Sociology, Political Culture
Leisure Research
Free Keywords
Ultras
Document language
English
Publication Year
2009
Page/Pages
p. 54-63
Journal
Review of European Studies, 1 (2009) 2
ISSN
1918-7181
Status
Published Version; peer reviewed
Licence
Creative Commons - Attribution