Italian Football in an Era of Globalisation: Neo-Patrimony, New Localism and Decline
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Italian Football in an Era of Globalisation: Neo-Patrimony, New Localism and Decline Submitted by Mark Doidge to the University of Exeter as a thesis for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Sociology In October 2010 This thesis is available for Library use on the understanding that it is copyright material and that no quotation from the thesis may be published without proper acknowledgement. I certify that all material in this thesis which is not my own work has been identified and that no material has previously been submitted and approved for the award of a degree by this or any other University. Signature: ………………………………………………………….. 1 Abstract Italy and Italian football have captured the imagination of writers and fans across the globe. The Italia ’90 world cup reaffirmed Italy’s standing as a world power in football. It also marked a turning point in global sport. At the end of the twentieth century, global sport underwent a period of profound transformation. In parallel to similar process taking place elsewhere in politics, economics and society, sport was entering a period of de-regulation and commodification, which impacted national leagues and local fans. Despite the intensification of transnational global networks resulting from de-regulation, individual nation states still hold significant power. Likewise, national leagues are still significant to football clubs despite the growth of global markets and transnational competitions. Yet these global processes of commodification and de-regulation have impacted fans in vastly different ways. This thesis provides analysis of Italian football in relation to the impact of the changing global political economy. Through analysis of the Italian political economy, it will identify the complex personal networks operating across Italian business, politics and football. This has witnessed the emergence of a number of significant charismatic leaders who operate across these networks and utilise patronage to gain an advantage. These patrimonial networks were initially successful, as Italian football quickly adapted to the changing global economy. However, it has not capitalised on this early success. Italian clubs are struggling financially in relation to their European peers. This has been compounded by a series of crises have impacted Italian football. The crises within Italian society and football have impacted the engagement of fans. Political engagement has fallen and this is replicated in the stadiums. The historical failure of the Italian state to impose itself has been further undermined by globalisation processes. Traditional regional identities have been reinforced as globalisation has further weakened the nation state. Changes to the patterns of consumption have combined with these traditional identities and has led to a greater particularisation in society. Individualism and regionalism have grown, and this has led to a decline in engagement with wider public life and social capital. One aspect of this decline has been demonstrated by several high profile violent incidents, and deaths at Italian matches. The impact of this decline will be addressed in relation to the formation of supporters’ groups and the match-day experiences of fans. Ultimately this decline is financially affecting the clubs which further contributes to the overall crisis within Italian football. 2 Contents Preface 4 SECTION 1 Introduction 1 Introduction 11 2 Sport and Community 55 SECTION 2 The Political Economy of Italy 3 Modernity and Deregulation in Italy 80 4 Deregulation and Crisis in Italian Football 117 SECTION 3 Italian Football Fans 5 The Match-day Experience: Stadiums and Policing 170 6 The Social Capital of Italian Football Fans 227 SECTION 4 Conclusion 7 ‘Year Zero’ and an Italian Winner of the Champions League 290 Appendix: Glossary of Italian Terms 307 Bibliography 312 3 Preface It was whilst sipping a nice glass of Primitivo in the courtyard of the British School at Rome that this thesis became envisioned. I had been studying sport and fitness in Ancient Rome as part of my Masters and through a conversation with an archaeologist friend, it was concluded that Italian football would make an apposite subject of study. The wheels were set in motion for a journey that would allow me to complete several personal ambitions. Yet journeys rarely begin and end in isolation. The journey that took me to Rome to study the wonders of the city’s ancient civilisation began in less extravagant places than the courtyard of the British School at Rome. A nondescript schooling and university education led to a ‘sensible’ career in the logistics department of a (paradoxical) local multinational telecommunications company. Climbing the corporate ladder resulted in me having to implement a wide range of strategies and plans. Team working and kaizen were introduced to our manufacturing lines as the company embraced the telecommunications revolution. The dot.com bubble was inflating and our company was adapting to capitalise on the boom. Technology and telecommunications accelerated, transforming our working patterns and our lives as we struggled to maintain the momentum. Yet our human endeavour could not prevent the bubble from bursting. Redundancies followed as the company rationalised its operation. The local plant was sold to a third party in a further process of rationalisation, but this could not prevent further redundancies. As the new company tried to maintain its market position and its finances, they decided to move the manufacturing facility to China to capitalise on the 4 cheaper labour costs. Globalisation had finally hit South Devon. For those that embraced change, China represented an enormous possibility. We helped set-up the factory in Shenzhen, near Hong Kong, and saw the globalised world from a different perspective. For others it brought domestic upheaval and change. The impact of the decline of that factory in South Devon is still being felt ten years after the dot.com bubble burst in 2000. Globalisation and corporate re-structuring presented an opportunity. I asked to be made redundant so that I could follow my dream of studying Ancient Rome, and living in Italy. Enrolling in a Masters at the University of Exeter allowed me to reinforce my love of Italy. Rather than being simply a tourist, I would learn Italian and study in Rome. This would then help me become an archaeologist discovering the material culture of one of the greatest civilisations that has existed. The study in Rome impressed upon me the importance of history and its importance on contemporary life. It made me realise that my dream was not about understanding the past, but understanding the present. Sport is a central element of many people’s lives. As a young male it gave me the skills to communicate with friends and strangers through a shared interest and common language. This interest led to my research into sport in Ancient Rome, which also revealed its centrality in the lives of many Romans. Sport seemed the best vehicle to understand contemporary society, and football seemed an appropriate way of understanding Italy. I had succumbed to the glamour and culture of Italian football during Italia ’90. It combined with my childhood love of Ancient Rome and I built my interest in Italy. Numerous visits continue to reveal a nation of beauty; the language, culture, food, wine, architecture and art are captivating. Yet it is also a nation of contradictions; the streets are dirty and chaotic as Italians hurry around in their own individual worlds. 5 Through the support and expertise of my supervisor, Anthony King, I have been able to turn my experiences into a thesis. In doing so I have made sense of myself and it has allowed me to understand my place in a globalised world. I now understand the changes that took place in the telecommunications company in which I worked, that I did not understand at the time. I have been able to utilise this background to tutor students and illustrate that our subject is not a series of abstract ideas but directly impacts everyday people across Britain, Europe and the World. We all sit in a complex network of interactions that impact us in different ways. Consequently, this is a story of the impact of those global forces on Italy and Italian football. This journey could not have been completed alone. Without Anthony King taking a chance on an unknown with no background in sociology, this thesis would not have been possible. He is the epitome of supervisors upon whom all others should be measured. Thanks, and I hope that I haven’t let him down. I have been fortunate to have been based in an incredibly supportive department, whose reputation is well earned. They have provided immense assistance and guidance. Financially they provided me with a scholarship and funds to pursue my research. They also provided me with the opportunities and training to teach thus allowing me to develop more skills than just research. The department of Sociology and Philosophy has provided a caring, nuuring environment that has helped me bring the best out of myself. Professor Grace Davie, Professor Tia DeNora, Dr Nigel Pleasants, Dr Matthias Varul, Dr Massimo Mazzotti and Professor Michael Hauskeller have all provided help and advice throughout this journey. The strength of the department has created a strong support network amongst the students and they have all helped in various ways. Therefore, thanks should go to Trever Hagen, Eduardo De-Andrade-Chemin-Filho, Dawn Fox-Davies, Richard McCallum, Duygu Tekgül, Pinar Guran, Louise Bezuidenhout, Mattia Gallotti, Trijsje Franssen, Mila 6 Petrova, Nathaniel Holmes, Mariko Hara, Pedro Santos-Boia, Sigrun Einarsdottir, Timothy Gooding, Daniele Carrieri, and Marco Liverani. I am also grateful to Dr Rebecca Catto for her support with my early teaching experience. Special thanks should go to Dave Morning for this admin support. The wider Exeter community has provided invaluable support and football practise.