Sport And Society In The Global Age

Are sports influenced by their social context? Can sport influence the social world? And how is sport changing in our increasingly globalized society? This thought-provoking text explores these questions and introduces key debates in the sociology of sport. Uncovering the power dynamics within sport and bringing this everyday topic under a sociological lens, the book: - Explores hot topics and contemporary controversies, such as e-gaming, fan violence and sex testing - Examines the central role of technology and the media in how sport is consumed, represented and played - Discusses a wide range of thinkers, from Gramsci to Castells - Reflects on developments in sport at local, global and national levels With clearly explained theory and vibrant case examples, this text shows how we engage with sport in social, political, cultural and economic terms. It is an indispensable text for students across the social sciences studying sports.

Introduction to the Sociology of Sport offers a comprehensive overview of topics, theories, definitions and results of sport sociological research and discussions. A unique approach to the social specificity of sport is outlined.

This state-of-the-art Research Handbook provides a challenging and critical examination of the complex issues surrounding sports in contemporary societies. Featuring contributions from world-leading scholars, it focuses upon the impact of their research, together with significant social issues and controversies in sport.

Social exclusion is one of the most pressing challenges in post-industrial societies, encompassing economic, social, cultural and political dimensions. This important new book critically examines the relationship between sport and social exclusion, from global and cross-cultural perspectives. The book analyses sport and social exclusion by focusing on three key questions: How does social exclusion affect participation in sport? How is social exclusion (re)produced, experienced, resisted, and managed in sport? How is sport used to combat social exclusion and promote social inclusion in other life domains? To answer these questions, the authors discuss and critically reflect on existing knowledge and in-depth case studies from Europe, Australasia, Africa and Latin America. The book illuminates the relationship between sport and social exclusion in Global North and Global South contexts, addressing key issues in contemporary social science such as social inequality, worklessness, gender, disability, forced migration, homelessness and mental health. Sport and Social Exclusion in Global Society is important reading for all students, researchers and policy-makers with an interest in sport sociology, sport development, sport management, or the relationship between sport and wider society.

This book is a concept we use to explain the invasive and pervasive role of sport in global society and in each country around the world. From the origins of modern sports to today, sports have become more and more commercial, global, and universally understood as important parts of economies, cultures, and political debates. The 2018 thawing of relations on the Korean Peninsula, and between North Korea and the USA, can be attributed in part to the inclusive practices of the Winter Olympics; yet the Russian doping scandal and the ramifications from that suggest that a new Cold War in sport has emerged which is played out in social media as well as in diplomatic circles. Beyond the elite levels, however, sport is key to social identification and cultural capital building, and for social integration. Regardless of how we view sport, it is clear that it is a powerful social technology with the ability to transform society and influence political and economic debates. The chapters in this book were originally published in special issues in Sport in Society.

This is a succinct and comprehensive account of the contemporary sociology of sport. It starts by tracing the key ‘moments’ in the transition from pre-modern to modern sport, giving detailed accounts of the athletic competition in the ancient games at Olympia; the genesis of modern track-and-field athletics in nineteenth-century England; and the reconstruction by de Coubertin and unfolding of the Olympic movement through the twentieth century. The second section analyses features of sport in detail: The links between exercise, sport and health, including a look at growing rates of obesity and of the role of drug use in society and sport The hyper-commodification of football in the 1990s Representations of sport in the media Sports iconography, with sociological portraits of Muhammad Ali and David Beckham The re-emergence of violence in sport The third section critically analyses the various theoretical approaches adopted by sociologists, and presents a distinctive new theoretical framework for understanding the changing role of sport in society in the era of global disorganized capitalism. This is key reading for students and researchers in sociology of sport and leisure, sport science and health.

The Sociology of Sport has grown since its inception in the late 1950s and has become robust, and diverse. Many countries now boast strong scholars in the field and this volume reflects the fascinating research being done. This innovative volume is dedicated to a review of the state of the area by region.

This exciting new undergraduate textbook introduces the reader to the broad and complex relationship between sport, culture and society, and critically examines the key assumptions that we hold with regard to the nature of sport.