A War in 90 Seconds: Escalation of Neighborhood Rivalry in the Palio di Siena (1743-2010)

• In Event: 562 - Regular Session. Social Networks

Abstract

Sociologists observe that social conflict is relational and endogenous, posing the problem of avoiding its escalation. Proposed mechanisms include the mobilization of strong ties and of weak, cross-cutting ties. We highlight an alternative mechanism based on career mobility – moving between competitors. The overlaying of past affiliations on current employment creates relational multiplexity, preventing the automatic reproduction of loyalties fostering escalation. This regulator is identified in an analysis of longitudinal data on the most famous horse race in the world – the “Palio di Siena”, where deeply-felt, long-standing rivalries and alliances between neighborhoods are manifested. The analysis draws attention to the dark side of networks, attesting that the activation of alliances increases the number of Palio-related incidents, as it raises the stakes for all competitors. Tension is released through mobility – the career moves of jockeys are associated with a lower incidence rate, as the social content of past affiliations moderates the willingness to engage in hostilities. Formal and informal networks intermix and influence each other in a way that is neither explicitly intended, nor is fully visible to participants.

Authors

• Stoyan V. Sgourev, ESSEC Business School

• Elisa Operti, ESSEC Business School

• Shemuel Lampronti, ESSEC Business School