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Pensée magique, superstition, croyances irrationnelles : répondre à l’absurde

Herd, Katarzyna LU orcid and Sonntag, Albrecht (2024) In Football(s). Histoire, culture, économie, société p.85-97
Abstract
Superstition and magical thinking are omnipresent in football, whatever the cultural context. In order to gain a better understanding the origin of the irrational beliefs that seem closely linked to the game, starting with some confessions of superstitious fans, the article draws on the tentative responses provided by anthropology, the philosophy of absurdism, and the sociology of religion. It concludes on the essential, though little theorised, role played by irony in the construction of complicity among football’s superstitious followers, as a precious tool in the attempt to manage the unbearable uncertainty of the game, and of life itself.
Abstract (Swedish)
Abstract in French

La superstition et la pensée magique sont omniprésentes dans le football, quel que soit le contexte culturel. Afin de mieux comprendre le lien étroit entre ce jeu et les croyances irrationnelles, l’article mobilise, en partant de l’analyse de quelques confessions de fans superstitieux, les réponses fournies par l’anthropologie, la philosophie de l’absurde, et la sociologie des religions. Il conclut sur le rôle, essentiel bien que peu théorisé, que joue l’ironie dans la construction de la connivence des superstitieux du football, outil précieux dans la tentative d’apprivoiser l’incertitude insupportable, non seulement celle du jeu, mais aussi celle de la condition humaine.
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
and
organization
alternative title
Magic thinking, superstition, irrational beliefs : responding to the absurd
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
belief, magic, ritual, superstition, uncertainty
in
Football(s). Histoire, culture, économie, société
issue
5
pages
13 pages
ISSN
2968-0115
DOI
10.58335/football-s.785
language
French
LU publication?
yes
id
98082d41-9629-42b7-b097-44e6a0f73fe6
date added to LUP
2025-01-24 10:33:36
date last changed
2025-04-04 15:21:29
@article{98082d41-9629-42b7-b097-44e6a0f73fe6,
  abstract     = {{Superstition and magical thinking are omnipresent in football, whatever the cultural context. In order to gain a better understanding the origin of the irrational beliefs that seem closely linked to the game, starting with some confessions of superstitious fans, the article draws on the tentative responses provided by anthropology, the philosophy of absurdism, and the sociology of religion. It concludes on the essential, though little theorised, role played by irony in the construction of complicity among football’s superstitious followers, as a precious tool in the attempt to manage the unbearable uncertainty of the game, and of life itself.}},
  author       = {{Herd, Katarzyna and Sonntag, Albrecht}},
  issn         = {{2968-0115}},
  keywords     = {{belief; magic; ritual; superstition; uncertainty}},
  language     = {{fre}},
  number       = {{5}},
  pages        = {{85--97}},
  series       = {{Football(s). Histoire, culture, économie, société}},
  title        = {{Pensée magique, superstition, croyances irrationnelles : répondre à l’absurde}},
  url          = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/206855535/Herd_Sonntag_Pensee_magique_superstition_croyances_irrationelles.pdf}},
  doi          = {{10.58335/football-s.785}},
  year         = {{2024}},
}