Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence
The study of the repression of resistance to the police in Brussels during the period between 1945 and 1975 invalidates the hypothesis of a phenomenon of rebellion among young people. The analysis of legal cases suggests that this resistance is the result of police interference in private conflicts....
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles
2012-05-01
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| Series: | Brussels Studies |
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| Online Access: | http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1097 |
| _version_ | 1818261215122554880 |
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| author | Melpomeni Skordou |
| author_facet | Melpomeni Skordou |
| author_sort | Melpomeni Skordou |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The study of the repression of resistance to the police in Brussels during the period between 1945 and 1975 invalidates the hypothesis of a phenomenon of rebellion among young people. The analysis of legal cases suggests that this resistance is the result of police interference in private conflicts. Men in their thirties who are most often from a disadvantaged background, frequent the public and semi-public spaces (street and pubs) of the urbanised municipalities of Brussels during their free time. Their involvement in violent interactions with their friends or wives – an assertion of their male identity or a release of physical energy – displeases authority figures, who convey middle-class standards of behaviour and intervene in an attempt to re-establish order. People with different ways of behaving clash in public as they try to impose their way of being. Police activity contributes to the criminalisation of working-class forms of social life and leisure. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-12T18:43:41Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f478e8bf6aec448c9fb36157b4589432 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2031-0293 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-12T18:43:41Z |
| publishDate | 2012-05-01 |
| publisher | Université Saint-Louis Bruxelles |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Brussels Studies |
| spelling | doaj.art-f478e8bf6aec448c9fb36157b45894322022-12-22T00:15:35ZengUniversité Saint-Louis BruxellesBrussels Studies2031-02932012-05-0110.4000/brussels.1097Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violenceMelpomeni SkordouThe study of the repression of resistance to the police in Brussels during the period between 1945 and 1975 invalidates the hypothesis of a phenomenon of rebellion among young people. The analysis of legal cases suggests that this resistance is the result of police interference in private conflicts. Men in their thirties who are most often from a disadvantaged background, frequent the public and semi-public spaces (street and pubs) of the urbanised municipalities of Brussels during their free time. Their involvement in violent interactions with their friends or wives – an assertion of their male identity or a release of physical energy – displeases authority figures, who convey middle-class standards of behaviour and intervene in an attempt to re-establish order. People with different ways of behaving clash in public as they try to impose their way of being. Police activity contributes to the criminalisation of working-class forms of social life and leisure.http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1097historyinsecurityincivilitiessecuritypublic spacesocial inequalities |
| spellingShingle | Melpomeni Skordou Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence Brussels Studies history insecurity incivilities security public space social inequalities |
| title | Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence |
| title_full | Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence |
| title_fullStr | Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence |
| title_full_unstemmed | Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence |
| title_short | Resistance to police authority in Brussels (1945‑1975): the judicial construction of working-class violence |
| title_sort | resistance to police authority in brussels 1945 1975 the judicial construction of working class violence |
| topic | history insecurity incivilities security public space social inequalities |
| url | http://journals.openedition.org/brussels/1097 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT melpomeniskordou resistancetopoliceauthorityinbrussels19451975thejudicialconstructionofworkingclassviolence |