Canadian Sport Sociology

"During her twenty-five years of teaching sport sociology, Dr Crossman has noticed that many of her students enter the study of this discipline with their own perceptions of what sport and physical activity are all about. One or two courses later, their perceptions have changed remarkably. Like her students, you will learn that the opportunities to participate in sport aren't equitable; that the control of sport is in the hands of a minority; that racism in sport still exists today; that economic and political forces shape what sport is today and what it might look like in the future; and that the mass media act as a filter of what we see and how we see it. 'Canadian sport sociology' not only examines such issues related to sport in Canada but provides the foundations, theories, and trends needed to give you a sound basis for understanding sport sociology from a uniquely Canadian perspective. Reflecting the latest research by drawing on expertise from across the country, 'Canadian sport sociology' examines Canadian sport from a sociological perspective. While many themes in this text are universal -- such as economics in sport, social problems, politics, and gender -- the contributors examine and analyze how these and other issues pertain to the Canadian situation." --

Organized sport as we know it is not an expression of social consensus or of continuing progess toward a better world, nor is it a homogenous, cohesive entity. This book invites us to consider the hidden face of Canadian sport.

Social Dimensions of Canadian Sport and Physical Activity by Jane Crossman and Jay Scherer is an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the relationship between sociological issues and sport, with a specific focus on the Canadian sports industry. Each chapter in this contributed text is written by experts in their field, using both Canadian and international perspectives to address contemporary sociological issues. The authors hope that this text will provide students with a sound basis for understanding the social dimensions of sport and physical activity from a uniquely Canadian perspective.

Social Dimensions of Canadian Sport and Physical Activity by Jane Crossman and Jay Scherer is an up-to-date, comprehensive overview of the relationship between sociological issues and sport, with a specific focus on the Canadian sports industry. KEY TOPICS: Sport and Physical Culture in Canadian Society;Thinking Sociologically: Sport, Physical Culture, and Critical Theory;Sport and Physical Culture in Historical Perspective;Sport and Social Stratification;Physical Culture, Sport, Ethnicity, and Race in Canada;Sex, Gender, and Sexuality;Youth Sport and Physical Culture;Deviance, Sport, and Physical Culture;Violence and Sport;Sport and Health;Sport, Media, and Ideology;Sport, Politics, and Policy;The Business of Sport;Globalization, Sport, and International Development;Sport and the Environment;Sport and the Future MARKET: Appropriate for Sociology of Sport courses.

This thoroughly revised collection examines a wide range of gender related issues, all of which contribute to a larger body of knowledge about how gender operates as a key factor in the way sport is played, organized, and funded in Canada.

In this fully updated and revised new edition of his landmark study of violence in and around contemporary sport, Kevin Young offers a comprehensive sociological analysis of an issue of central importance within sport studies. The book explores organised and spontaneous violence, both on the field and off, and calls for a much broader definition of ‘sports-related violence’, to include issues as diverse as criminal behaviour by players, abuse within sport and exploitative labour practices. Offering a sophisticated theoretical framework for understanding violence in a sporting context and including new case studies and updated empirical data – from professional soccer in Europe to ice hockey in North America – the book establishes a benchmark for the study of violence within sport and wider society. Through close examination of often contradictory trends, from anti-violence initiatives in professional sports leagues to the role of the media in encouraging hyper-aggression, the book throws new light on our understanding of the socially-embedded character of sport and its fundamental ties to history, culture, politics, social class, gender and the law. This new edition also recognises burgeoning new literatures, such as research examining concussion and the link between sport and mental illness and includes student-friendly pedagogical aids, such as critical thinking questions at the end of each chapter. Sport, Violence and Society is a vital read for anyone studying or working in the areas of the Sociology of Sport, Sport Psychology, Ethics and Philosophy of Sport, Sport and Politics, Sports History, and Sport and the Media.

The new edition of the best sociological theory on sport