Body, Hierarchy and Ways of Acting Esthetic, Politics and Ethics in “Barras Bravas” in Bogotá

Abstract

The public constituted around football in Colombia can be characterized as follows: spectators, fans and supporters. For their part, the supporters have been grouped in “barras” and also in “barras bravas”. Each characterization depends on the affiliation and loyalty - assumed by each supporter - with the team and with the social group. In this aspect, the purpose of the article is: understand the ways of constituting the body for the organization of the hierarchy and its particular ways of acting among the fans, grouped in “barras bravas” of Bogotá. Thus, participation in the “carnaval” and the permanence in the “combate”, on the part of the supporters, demonstrate presence in the stands and on the streets to demonstrate the “aguante”. On the other hand, in the methodological aspect, the ethnographic field work allowed us to understand and describe the production, reproduction and diffusion of the meanings of the practices, from the experiences and the stories of the supporters.