Spaaij, Ramon ORCID: 0000-0002-1260-3111 and Viñas, Carles (2005) ‘A por ellos!’: racism and anti-racism in Spanish football. International Journal of Iberian Studies, 18 (3). pp. 141-164. ISSN 1364-971X (print) 1758-9150 (online)

Abstract

Racism at Spanish football grounds is commonly perceived to be confined to the racist or neo-fascist predispositions of the archetypal skinhead hooligan. This narrow view of racism thwarts contemporary anti-racism initiatives since it conceals other, less visible forms of racialized expressions in football. The current official and public concern over racist behaviour in Spanish football provides opportunities for promoting anti-racism in football, but only if the serious limitations of the prevailing identification of racists with ‘ultras’ are acknowledged. Paradoxically, many of the ultra groups popularly stigmatized as ‘racist thugs’ are, in fact, a driving force behind the anti-racism projects and campaigns currently being implemented.

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