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H2020Individual fellowship2020–2022

ULTRA-VIOLENCE · Ultras in Portugal: Narratives of Violence, Politics and Gender

Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions

Duration
2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31
EU contribution
€159,815
Participants
1
Scheme
MSCA-IF

Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.

Results in brief

Ultras in Portugal: Narratives of Violence, Politics and Gender

The rise of political extremes, mostly right-leaning, is the most important European development of the 21st century due to its potential to undermine the continent’s integrity and security. One of the contexts in which such political extremes originate, develop, and thrive is among a group of football fans known as ultras. Ultras have become the most spectacular form of football fandom, showcasing violence, politics, masculinity, and a fervent support of the club, which has been demonstrated by several case studies, undertaken in a variety of settings. The case study chosen to conduct this analysis was Portugal, where, despite the size of the phenomenon, ultra activism has not received much attention from researchers or policymakers. Over the last two decades, there have been increasing demonstrations of violence related to football fandom, including threats, destruction of public and private property, players’ cars, firm buses, etc. ULTRA-VIOLENCE’s specific research objectives were: RO1. To map the themes populating the ultra world and the types of activism in which ultras are involved in through a digital ethnography RO2. To identify the micro-, meso-, and macro-level processes that shape individual pathways through the ultra world. This will be achieved by examining how football fandom and activism are intertwined in the material and intellectual paraphernalia produced by ultras and by analysing the life stories of current and former, male and female ultras, using the intersectionality of peace framework. RO3. To understand the policing and securitisation of football fandom in Portugal and their implications regarding processes of radicalisation towards the commission of violence in the ultra community. RO4. To produce knowledge for practitioner and policymaker audiences at European level to enhance their understanding and appreciation of how to invest in prevention and intervention strategies in the context of ultra violence and ultra activism.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union

Project objective

The rise of political extremes, mostly right-leaning, is the most important European development of the 21st century due to its potential to undermine the continent’s integrity and security. One of the contexts in which such political extremes originate, develop, and thrive is among a group of football fans known as ultras. Ultras have become the most spectacular form of football fandom, showcasing violence, politics, masculinity, and a fervent support of the club. Beyond the stadium, ultras also engage in other types of activism , which can threaten the fabric of European societies. Although the link between ultra membership and participation in other social movements has been established, there is a lack of understanding of the drivers and pathways between the two, particularly when it comes to the transition from football violence to political violence. ULTRA-VIOLENCE positions the Researcher to identify relationships between a) micro-, meso, and macro-level processes (ultras’ social networks, structural contexts of violence, different forms of deprivation, interactions with the authorities and security agendas) that shape individual pathways through the ultra world, b) the different types of activism carried out by ultras in Portugal; and c) the instances where ultra violence crosses over to politically motivated violence. Understanding these relationships will enhance national and international academic and policy understandings of ultra life courses and inform measures and approaches aimed at reducing ultra violence and politically motivated violence perpetrated by organisations and individuals holding extreme political views connected to the ultra world. It will also highlight strategies to shift ultra behaviour towards activism beneficial to society. ULTRA-VIOLENCE builds on and expands the Researcher's and Supervisor's previous work, connecting critical peace and conflict studies and feminist scholarship through the intersectionality of peace approach.

Original text from CORDIS.

Participants

  • Iscte - Instituto Universitário de Lisboa · LisboaCoordinatorPortugal

Links

Data: CORDIS, © European Union