The Red Heart of Livorno: Political Identity and Pan-European anti-Fascist networks amongst Italian Ultras


Dr. Mark Doidge, Lecturer

School of Sport and Service Management

Monday, 28th January 2013, 5.30-6.30pm

Greynore Hall, Darley Road, Eastbourne Campus

The ultras are an enduring and distinctive aspect of Italian fan culture. Often reduced to mere hooligans by the media, the ultras incorporate a wide range of masculine, historical and political traits into their group identities and this structures their self-presentation and interactions with others.

A key feature of certain ultras groups is their political identity. One such group, the fans of Livorno, has a strong Communist identity that structures their friendships and rivalries with other groups. They are rivals with fans who have Fascist sympathies and have established a pan-European network of anti-Fascist fan-groups.  

This presentation will situate the ultras and their political identities into the wider context of Italian society, and tentatively propose a research agenda for pan-European political fan-groups.