The Social-historical Roots of Conflict in Riots at the Bathurst 'Bike Races

Abstract

The article focuses on riots which have occurred at the Bathurst motorcycle races. A three-tiered historical, structural and phenom enological analysis is used to explain the riots. Historical data and participant observations of the 1985 riot are used to account for the historical roots and social meanings of the conflict and its escalation in recent years. It is proposed that the roots of conflict lie in the working-class backgrounds of the motorcycle subculture youth in volved, and the state response to the control of their leisure activity. It is also proposed that the use of coercive control measures by agencies of the state has escalated the level of conflict and anti-police sentiments at Bathurst. In using surface level explanations for the riots and responding to them with coercive controls, the deeper level social roots of the conflict have been overlooked.

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