foules

Foules is the French term for crowds, the large assemblies of people in public spaces. In English, the term is uncommon, but the concept of a crowd is central to sociology and crowd psychology. Foules can form at festivals, rallies, sports events, or urban gatherings, and they vary in size, cohesion, and purpose.

Common characteristics include high density, reduced individual accountability, and heightened emotional arousal. In crowds, individual norms may yield to collective norms, and emotions can spread rapidly through imitation and social contagion. Crowds can be fleeting or sustained and may range from peaceful audiences to expressive crowds at demonstrations or celebrations, to volatile assemblies that escalate into riots.

The study of foules blends classical and contemporary theories. Gustave Le Bon’s crowd psychology argued that crowds foster anonymity and suggestibility, producing rapid emotional contagion. Modern research acknowledges deindividuation as a possible factor, but also emphasizes social identity and normative guidance: emergent norms can shape behavior as a crowd develops shared expectations, and people may act according to the group’s identity rather than personal dispositions.

Applications include crowd management and public safety. Planners use crowd-flow design, barriers, staffing, and communication to reduce risks such as crushes and bottlenecks while preserving rights to assemble. Studying foules continues to inform how authorities balance orderly movement, safety, and democratic expression during mass events.