Insecurities in European Football and Supporter Cultures

“Give them bread and circuses, and they will never revolt,” as Juvenal once claimed. Jan Ludvigsen’s pivotal book delves into the late modern world of European football security and securitization, understood through the eyes of football supporters themselves. Thoroughly analyzed, while theoretically solidly grounded, he has delivered a critical must-read of what it means to be subjected to and revolt against the football security circus as means of oppression by the powerful."" Yarin Eski, Associate Professor in Public Administration, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. ""This book offers a groundbreaking and highly relevant examination of how safety and security concerns are addressed in European football. By exploring the tensions between regulations imposed by European institutions and the counter-currents from football supporters, Jan Ludvigsen provides a nuanced and insightful analysis. Placing the analysis in a historical perspective allows readers to trace the changes (often towards more restrictive regulations) that have taken place in the context of securing football matches. This is a great asset of this book which is essential reading for anyone interested in the social, political, and security dimensions of contemporary European football."" Radosław Kossakowski, Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Gdańsk. ""This book critically interrogates the various European institutions and organizations responsible for the ongoing regulation, securitization, and militarization of European football events and venues. It details how new surveillance techniques and social control mechanisms aimed at improving fan safety and security are instruments of power and counterpower toward controlling football fandom and supporter cultures. In so doing, this book offers important insights into strategies and responses by football supporters to negotiate, contest, and resist these advances through acts of protest and activism. Moreover, it offers possibilities for improving fan safety and security while simultaneously safeguarding the rich tradition of supporter cultures, identities, and customs."" Adam Beissel, Associate Professor in Sport Leadership & Management, Miami University.