Dissent and Factionalism in Southern Brazilian Barras. Towards a political anthropology on football supporters

Two decades ago, in Rio Grande do Sul, the first so-called "barras" supporters groups emerged in Brazilian football. In Porto Alegre, they instantly became the largest and most prominent fan groups of SC Internacional and Grêmio FBPA. In this article, to discuss the transformations that these supporters have brought about in stadiums and clubs, I present aspects related to the form of organisation of the Guarda Popular barra. By comparing it with other contemporary forms of fan organisation (the “Torcidas Organizadas Independentes” and the Fans' Consulates), I emphasise, based on a re-reading of Clastres' political anthropology, how segmentary tendencies predominate in the barras, which feed off the valorisation of internal and external dissents. Due to the intense reproduction of factionalism, I argue that these supporters are the ones who best internalise football's logics of antagonism.

Keywords:
Football Fan Groups; Barra Brava; Football Clubs; Faccionalism; Political Anthropology