Let the People In: Bouncers and the Ordering of the Public

Abstract

This article explores the complex role of bouncers in Italian nightclubs. It argues that their actions reveal a profound intertwining of ideology and social practices, particularly the tacit acceptance of inequality as a structural component of contemporary social relationships. Bouncers serve as critical mediators between venue “designers” and an audience whose presence is essential for the “show,” regardless of their characteristics. The study highlights how discretion operates in a dual sense: the bouncer's arbitrary decision-making regarding entry based on subjective/objective criteria, and the expectation that patrons “get unnoticed” within the venue's “grey spaces.” This dual discretion—a form of negotiated order—shapes perceptions of security and exposes the overlaps between regularity and irregularity that are often hidden from public view. Ultimately, with regard to the interplay between actors (owners, staff, and clients), the observed dynamics constitute an open exercise of submission, dominance, and mediation, rooted in a “realism” predicated on economic considerations and social capital, rather than solely glamour or style.