Football hooliganism, the death drive and Millwall fandom as symbolic masochism

Article

Bleakley, P. 2018. Football hooliganism, the death drive and Millwall fandom as symbolic masochism. The Journal of Fandom Studies. 6 (3), pp. 225-241. https://doi.org/10.1386/jfs.6.3.225_1
TypeArticle
TitleFootball hooliganism, the death drive and Millwall fandom as symbolic masochism
AuthorsBleakley, P.
Abstract

Despite their reputation for violence and hooligan behaviour, south-east London’s Millwall football club has sustained a strong fan base thanks significantly to the siege mentality that has developed around its supporters. This siege mentality is fuelled largely by the antipathy of wider society; by undertaking a Freudian analysis of Millwall fandom as it was during the zenith of the club’s notoriety in the 1970s and 1980s, it is possible to view this collective persecution complex as a manifestation internalized masochism described in the philosopher’s ‘death drive’ theory. Combined with a Lacanian interpretation of the death drive, it is possible to perceive Millwall fandom as a form of symbolic masochism, explaining to some degree the continued support for a team treated in a consistently pejorative manner.

PublisherIntellect
JournalThe Journal of Fandom Studies
ISSN2046-6692
Electronic2046-6706
Publication dates
Print01 Sep 2018
Publication process dates
Deposited17 Oct 2019
Accepted15 Oct 2018
Output statusPublished
Accepted author manuscript
Copyright Statement

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Intellect in The Journal of Fandom Studies, the final published version is available at: https://doi.org/10.1386/jfs.6.3.225_1

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1386/jfs.6.3.225_1
LanguageEnglish
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