Citation

Smith T. Br. J. Sociol. 2000; 51(3): 443-460.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2000, London School of Economics and Political Science, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/j.1468-4446.2000.00443.x

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

In his analysis of football hooliganism, Anthony King claims to reveal the historical, conceptual scheme young, male supporters draw upon. This ‘masculine vision’, he states, is similar to that held by the Freikorps. Both groups are said to adhere to modernist notions of masculinity, sexuality and nationhood, reinforced by rituals which maintain boundaries between these ‘proper’ males and deviant ‘others’. Occasionally, football hooligans breach these boundaries in acts of postmodern transgression. King also claims that fans link sex and violence in their imaginations. In this response I examine King's critique of his fellow theorists; challenge his ‘Freikorps-Fans’ analogy; demonstrate the problem he has in establishing the sex-violence link and question the relevance of his concept of postmodernity.

Keywords: Soccer; Violence; Crowds