The political commitment of French supporters «ultras». Return to set ideas
Nicolas Hourcade
The football supporters «ultras» who appeared in France in the Eigthies are often considered as right wing extremists, who are politically manipulated. The article, in its analysis of the French situation, stresses however that a lot of «ultras» refuse to express any political views in the stadiums, and that among those who are politically committed some are left wing extremists. The logic of this often superficial politicization usually differs from the one of political groupings, because the «ultras» want to protect their autonomy and mistrust the political world. But, by their collective action and their criticism of the evolution of football, the «ultras» develop potentially political practices, which they rarely perceive this way.
International audienceDepuis une vingtaine d’années, des groupes de supporters « ultras » s’engagent dans le soutien aux clubs de football français. Proposant des activités, des règles et des objectifs, ils jouent un rôle socialisateur et contribuent à la construction identitaire de leurs membres. Ils sont parfois qualifiés d’institutions juvéniles, ce qui masque leur ambivalence : ils sont autant en rupture qu’en phase avec les normes sociales et les modes dominants d’organisation. Ces groupes de pairs remplissent une fonction d’intégration sociale et développent de nouvelles formes de participation à la vie publique
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