The Football and Society Podcast

Walking contradictions: The rise of Poland's 'hooligan bourgeoisie'

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Episode notes

In Poland, the term ‘hooligan’ refers specifically to supporters who focus on competitive violence with rival fans, while ‘ultras’ are those who engage in the more performative aspects of fandom. Traditionally, hooligans command respect from non-hooligans due to their dominant position in the supporters’ hierarchy, but in recent years the behaviour of hooligan groups has isolated them from the wider fanbase.

In this episode we speak to Radosław Kossakowski, who with his colleague Mateusz Grodecki has studied the rise of a hooligan ‘bourgeoisie’ in Poland and the subsequent resentment among non-hooligans. 

They note how a hooligan elite emerged as football-related violence evolved, from ‘confrontations of beery hooligans with bellies somewhere in and around stadiums into organized gang fights involving martial arts fighters’. This shift intensified hooligans’ sense of being ‘the elite of the stands’ and their sense of separateness from the remainder of the fanbase. Alongside this hegemony on violence, the hooligans began engaging in (largely illegal) money-making practices, often exploiting the resources of the other supporters and using their power over the stands to serve their own economic interests. 

Because of this, there is growing resentment towards this elite hooligan class among non-hooligans. Are hooligans therefore making a tactical error, breaking the norms of ‘stands culture’ and exposing the false character of the dominant ideology that legitimizes hooligan power?

  • How do the hooligan bourgeoisie reconcile two apparently contradictory terms?
  • How do individuals rise to the top of Polish hooligan firms?
  • Are political groups using Polish football grounds for recruitment in the same way that the British National Front did in the 1970s and 80s?

...all this and more in the 16th episode of the Football and Society podcast.

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Follow Radosław on Twitter: www.twitter.com/R_Kossakowski

Buy Radosław's latest book 'Ultras: The passion and performance of contemporary football fandom': https://manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk/9781526127624/

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Each week, Ash, Chris and Norman explore societal issues through the lens of the beautiful game.

From the ethics of gambling sponsorship to what a stadium move means for fans, we’ll be covering it all each week with expert guests from the worlds of sports journalism and sociology.