Fan Activism, Protest and Politics: Ultras in Post-Socialist Croatia (Critical Research in Football)

In what sense can organized football fans be understood as political actors or participants in social movements? How do fan struggles link to wider social and political transformations? And what methodological dilemmas arise when researching fan activism?__Fan Activism, Protest and Politics__seeks ethnographic answers to these questions in a context - Zagreb, Croatia - shaped by the recent Yugoslav wars, nation-state building, post-socialist 'transition' and EU accession.Through in-depth ethnography following the everyday subcultural practices of a left-wing fan group, NK Zagreb's White Angels, alongside terrace observations and interviews conducted with members of GNK Dinamo's Bad Blue Boys, this book details fans' interactions with the police, club management, state authorities and other fan groups. Themes ranging from politics, socialization, masculinity, sexuality and violence to fan authenticity are examined. In moving between two groups, the book explores methodological issues of wider relevance to researchers using ethnographic methods.This is important reading for students and researchers alike in the fields of football studies, regional studies of the former Yugoslavia and post-socialism, political sociology and social movements, and studies of masculinity, gender and sexuality. A useful resource for scholars writing about social movements and protest, or post-socialist subcultural scenes in south-east Europe, the book is also a fascinating read for policymakers interested in better understanding the contemporary (geo)political situation in the region. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of figures Acknowledgements Introduction: football fandom in the European semi-periphery Introduction White Angels Zagreb and the Bad Blue Boys Professional football in the European semi-periphery From socialist Yugoslavia to the 'Homeland War' Studies of football fandom in Croatia The everyday geopolitics of football in post-socialist Croatia Notes Bibliography 1 Football fandom and post-socialist transformation in Zagreb, Croatia: a historical sociology Introduction. Football and fandom in late socialist YugoslaviaThe 1990-1999 war and authoritarian nationalist rule Croatia or Dinamo? The 1999-2008 'democratic transition' and increasing police repression of fans 2008-present: economic crisis and a slow conservative revolution Notes Bibliography 2 Ethnography: positionality, approach, methods Fieldwork: entry and positioning Critical and activist approaches Researcher positioning Gender and sexuality Citizenship, language skills and cultural knowledge Race and citizenship hierarchies Class Methodological issues Moving between groups. Methodological nationalismIllegality and other ethical issues Notes Bibliography 3 Everyday fandom in Zagreb Introduction: Zagreb, neighbourhood belonging and class Everyday aspects of group participation Enrolment Meetings Group symbols Fan habitus Place and identification Terrace activities Mythmaking Relations with other groups Surveillance Connections with the punk and skinheads scenes Notes Bibliography 4 Police practices and repression Introduction Generalized repressive measures Clientelism and the economy of favours Bureaucratic grey zones Conclusions Notes. Sexuality in the White Angels and Bad Blue BoysViolence and surveillance Notes Bibliography 7 Banter, urban-rural hierarchies and political correctness Introduction: on the road to Knin Banter Banter and urban-rural distinctions Political correctness and the BBB Political correctness and WAZ Conclusions Notes Bibliography 8 Fan authenticity and international networks Introduction Informal fan networks White Angels Zagreb and NGO project activities The impact of refugee flows Fan authenticity in the Croatian ultras scene Critiquing NGO involvement. In what sense can organized football fans be understood as political actors or participants in social movements? How do fan struggles link to wider social and political transformations? And what methodological dilemmas arise when researching fan activism? Fan Activism, Protest and Politics seeks ethnographic answers to these questions in a context – Zagreb, Croatia – shaped by the recent Yugoslav wars, nation-state building, post-socialist ‘transition’ and EU accession. Through in-depth ethnography following the everyday subcultural practices of a left-wing fan group, NK Zagreb's White Angels, alongside terrace observations and interviews conducted with members of GNK Dinamo's Bad Blue Boys, this book details fans' interactions with the police, club management, state authorities and other fan groups. Themes ranging from politics, socialization, masculinity, sexuality and violence to fan authenticity are examined. In moving between two groups, the book explores methodological issues of wider relevance to researchers using ethnographic methods. This is important reading for students and researchers alike in the fields of football studies, regional studies of the former Yugoslavia and post-socialism, political sociology and social movements, and studies of masculinity, gender and sexuality. A useful resource for scholars writing about social movements and protest, or post-socialist subcultural scenes in south-east Europe, the book is also a fascinating read for policymakers interested in better understanding the contemporary (geo)political situation in the region. Introduction: football fandom in the European semi-periphery -- Football fandom and post-socialist transformation in Zagreb, Croatia: a historical sociology -- Ethnography: positionality, approach, methods -- Everyday fandom in Zagreb -- Police practices and repression -- Political ideologies and the fan movement -- Gender, sexuality and violence -- Banter, urban-rural hierarchies and political correctness -- Fan authenticity and international networks, conclusion: the 'new' Europe in crisis? Working within the context of Zagreb, Croatia, this book offers an in-depth ethnography detailing fans' interactions with the police, club management, state authorities and other fan groups, and examining themes ranging from politics, socialization, masculinity, sexuality and violence to fan authenticity.