Abstract
Certain public interaction rituals structure the edges of the social order, including actions designated as violent. The French language has an array of notions that distinguishes the intensity of face-to-face conflict, such as bagarre (a moderate conflict, a fight), and rixe (an upscale conflict, a brawl). These are ritualized stages preceding the stage where the only purpose is the total physical destruction of the opponent. In this framework, punches, slaps and headbutts convey a strong imaginary. They are an essential dimension of the Western culture of violence. An ethnography as a bouncer in a town in western France enabled an approach to conflict in action. The observation of 78 situations involving blows revealed the symbolic significance of these attacks. The analysis of these attacks shows that while an action may be performed in pursuit of martial efficacy, it often distances from it in response to the desire for social victory, achieved through demonstration of courage and commitment in the action. An analysis of attacks allows to underline this social dimension. If these rituals are intended to limit the risks of physical damage, if they are structured interactions, presenting norms of action that respond to a social arbitration that can lead to victory or defeat, can we speak of a ritual structure close to a sport?
