Today the Football Scholars Forum met with journalist James Montague to discuss his latest work, 1312: Among the Ultras, A journey with the world’s most extreme fans. The conversation (and book) was so enlightening because, as Montague noted, while there’s so much known about the game and culture of football, very little is known about the Ultras.

But who are the Ultras? As Montague pointed out, even the Ultras themselves have a difficult time conveying an exact definition of who they are. But they’re always a very political or politicized bunch. Thus the close intersection of sports and politics in Ultras culture around the globe and why their development, globalization, and post-Cold War evolution is so tightly intertwined with socio-cultural trends and geopolitical developments.

Importantly, as the session emphasizes early on, Ultras are distinctly different from the brand of British-origin hooliganism that so often dominates public memory and associations – at least, within the Anglophone world – of extremist football fandom and the culture that surrounds it.

The Ultras are effectively the last, unknown frontier in football, made even more difficult to pin down because they eschew the media spotlight—and journalists, naturally. This is what makes 1312 so compelling, for Montague gained unprecedented access in his travels to stadia around the globe.

Listen to the discussion here and follow some of the comments on Twitter via #FSFUltras.