Carnivalesque Freedom and Public Sexual Behavior in the San Fermin Festival

• In Event: 3483 - Open Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 100min: Table 17. Culture and Identity Across Contexts

Abstract

The Festival of San Fermin, celebrated in the town of Pamplona, Spain, is one of the most famous examples of Spanish fiesta; its most recognizable event is the daily ‘running of the bulls.’ The organizers of the festival and citizens of Pamplona engage in a collective construction of the festival’s image, including its nature, values, and importance. They portray San Fermin as a space where people can pursue their desires freely, unobstructed by the usual mores and constraints of society. The reality of the festival, however, shows a concerted effort by many actors within the community, both individual and collective, to curb the public sexual behavior of different groups, such as teenagers and the LGBTQ+ community. This policing of behavior takes different forms, including discursive and normative practices, and is embedded in community members’ understanding of their own identity and role within the festival. My research, based on ethnographic observation during four iterations of the festival, analyzes how members of the community make sense of public displays of sexuality during San Fermin. I am guided by the following research question: how do local community actors reconcile the tension between the narrative of the festival as a place for transgression and freedom, and their normative obligations to police certain sexual behaviors?

Author

• Ordoitz Galilea