Localism at New Zealand surfing destinations: Durkheim and the social structure of communities

Surfing’s popularity has seen substantial growth over the last 50 years, resulting in an increased number of surfers worldwide. With a greater number of individuals in the water, many surf breaks have become overcrowded, thus leading to management issues. At these crowded locations, some local surfers are protective and maintain ownership over a site or break through the practice of localism. Localism may produce aggressive behaviour, including...