Systematic and detailed comparative research into hooligan identities constitutes a vital new
approach to the study of football hooliganism. Despite the ongoing globalization of football
culture and societies at large, there remain important national and local variations in the
manifestation of football hooliganism worldwide. These dissimilarities thwart efforts to
conceptualize and explain football hooliganism as a homogeneous phenomenon and, more
specifically, seriously limit the applicability of dominant sociological theories on the subject.
It is argued in this essay that comparative research into football hooliganism should move
beyond general explanations in terms of societal fault lines and towards a more detailed
analysis of hooligan identities and social interactions between hooligans and significant
others. Although emphasizing the great practical heterogeneity of football hooliganism, the
author suggests that a number of universal aspects can be identified. On the basis of longterm
fieldwork among hooligan formations, the author distinguishes six key aspects of football
hooliganism as a transnational phenomenon: excitement and pleasurable emotional arousal; the construction of hard masculine identity; territorial identifications; the individual and
collective management of reputation; solidarity and belonging; and sovereignty and
autonomy.