Kicking Off...

The Champions League Final next week between Manchester Utd and Barcelona in Rome has caused the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) to urge the football fans to stay away from the main tourist areas of the city. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/manchester/8058877.stmst Whilst this has become a standard warning before international matches, the article caught my eye, not for its message of social doom as many like to say, but for its anthropological possibilities.

The social makeup of hooligan groups is actually very interesting, in a review article by Feixa and Juris in a 2000 issue of 'Social Anthropology', they discuss how the territoriality of football groups is analogous to Evans-Pritchard's segmentary opposition. This relates to the centrality of place in both football and some traditional societies. Urban Space plays also plays a role, as it is in such environments that hooliganism is played out. Such landscapes are of course, socially defined as at other times these places have different meanings, whether historical, artistic or cultural. However, during the match these become imbued with the meaning of either team, city or nation. Although, having said this the sole objective of match day violence is to enhance the standing of the group in the eyes of others, rather than to enforce cultural superiority.

The changing meanings of place are mirrored in the changing cultural identities of the participants. On normal days, such people have one identity, created for them by the culture and society in which they live. However on match days they construct their own identity, which may reflect the ideals that they believe their specific club, territory or football itself, or even who they wish to be, for example the prominence of Maradona in Argentinian football.

The hooligan groups are in general not strictly organised, there is no 'leader' though certain members may hold more influence than others. Whilst they are traditionally organised around a central team or place, groups are becoming increasingly transnational. This is largely due to the Internet and mobile phones, which can create links with other groups who are seen to share similar ideals (such as Hearts and Rangers). Links between groups can also be mutually advantageous when hooligans are in a different city or even country.

So, do I think that the warning for fans to stay away from certain parts of Rome will help reduce violence? Well, no. It might help to reduce violence between opposing fans who are not themselves hooligans and have just had a bit too much to drink. However, for those who have travelled to Rome with the intention of fighting, the warnings and increased police presence will have little to no effect.

This has been a really brief look at the anthropology of hooliganism, but it is a fascinating subject. If you have an interest, then there is a great book by Armstrong and Giullianotti: Entering the Field: New Perspectives on World Football.