Mobsters and holigans; The identity construction of the barra brava of Boca Juniors in the Buenos Aires neighbourhood La Boca

Abstract

In the heart of the Buenos Aiores neighbourhood La Boca, resides football club Boca Juniors. This club has one of the most infamous and feared group of supporters in the world: La Doce. In Europe La Doce would be compared to a group of hooligans, but in reality they are very different from hooligans. It is an organized crime group that has its roots in the La Boca, but over the years the connection to the neighbourhood grew thin. They also have some things in common with latin American youth gangs. Although members of La Doce see themselves as hooligans, residents and non-residents of La Boca, a marginalized immigrant neighbourhood, identify La Doce as a mafia. Residents do not identify La Doce with La Boca anymore, because most members of La Doca do no longer live in the neighbourhood. Non residents do identify La Doce with La Boca because they have some characteristics thet they share. These characteristics are mainly based onm prejudices coming from stigmatization, especially in the case of the neighbourhood. The self-image of La Doca differs from the way residents and non-residents identify them, but these difefrences are very relatable to each other.