A Comparison of Six Western European Football Clubs
By Ramón Spaaij
Football hooliganism periodically generates widespread political and public anxiety. In spite of the efforts made and resources invested over the past decades, football hooliganism is still perceived by politicians, policymakers and media as a disturbing social problem.
This highly readable book provides the first systematic and empirically grounded comparison of football hooliganism in different national and local contexts
Focused around the six Western European football clubs on which the author did his research, the book shows how different clubs experience and understand football hooliganism in different ways. The development and effects of anti-hooligan policies are also assessed. The emphasis throughout is on the importance of context, social interaction and collective identity for understanding football hooliganism. This book will be essential reading for anyone interested in football culture, hooliganism and collective violence.
Amsterdam University Press | 23 December, 2006
ISBN 9789056294458
What people are saying
“A genuine pleasure to read. [Spaaij] demonstrates great knowledge of the topic and succeeds in communicating this knowledge in an attractive way, without succumbing to cheap sensationalism.”
Tijdschrift voor Criminologie (Netherlands Journal of Criminology)
“The study of Spaaij (2006) into hooligans is foremost a fundamental research but contains lessons to be learned for practice as well. Some of his most interesting illustrations of research into social policy to decrease hooliganism are listed in Box 8.4.”
A full review from Hennie Boeije in Analysis in Qualitative Research
Ramón Spaaij 