What can sport do to produce social change in our world today? It is impossible to fully understand contemporary society and culture without acknowledging the importance of sport. Sport is part of our social and cultural fabric, possessing a commercial power that makes it a potent force in the world, for good and for bad. It has helped to start wars and promote international reconciliation, and governments around the world commit public resources to sport.

Sport matters, but how should you make sense of what is going on in the world of sport today?

Now in a fully revised, updated and expanded third edition, this critical, challenging and comprehensive textbook introduces the study of sport, culture and society. International in scope, it challenges us to reactivate an audacious spirit of activism through sport. Full of contemporary examples, it places sport at the heart of the analysis and introduces the reader to every core topic and emerging area in the study of sport and society, including:

the history and politics of sport;

sport, gender and sexuality;

sport, disability and advocacy;

sport, race and racism;

sport, violence and crime;

sport and health;

sport, globalisation and democracy;

sport, media and cultural relations;

sport and the environment;

sporting cities and mega-events;

sport, poverty and development.

Each chapter includes a wealth of useful features, including Sport in Focus case studies, chapter summaries, guides to further reading, revision questions, practical projects, definitions of key concepts and weblinks. Additional teaching and learning resources – including a testbank, resource list and glossary – are available on a companion website.

Sport, Culture and Society is the most broad-ranging, in-depth and thoughtful introduction to the sociocultural analysis of sport currently available and sets a new agenda for the discipline. It is essential reading for all students with an interest in sport.

Table of Contents

Introduction

PART I: The Broader Context

1. Sport, Theory and the Problem of Values

2. Sport, History and Social Change

3. Sport, Economics and Wealth

4. Sport, Development and Peace

5. Sport, Politics and Culture

PART II: Global Sport and Community

6. Global Sport in a Deglobalising World?

7. Sport, Law and Governance

8. Sport and Community

9. Internationalism, Reconciliation and Sport in the Making of Nations

10. Sport, Media and Technology

11. Sport, Social Capital and Civil Society

12. Sport and Education

PART III: Sport and Contemporary Social Issues

13. Sport and the Environment

14. Sport and Racism

15. Sport, Violence and Crime

16. Sport, Religion and Spirituality

17. Sport, Gender and Sexuality

18. Sport and Health

19. Sport and Disability

20. Sport, Cities, the Olympics and Major Sporting Events

21. Sport, Lifestyles and Alternatives

22. Sport, Gambling and Corruption

23. Sport, Poverty and Homelessness

PART IV: Sport as a Resource of Hope and the Politics of the Possible

24. Sport, Social Movements and Protest

25. Sport, Cultural Relations and Damned Nations

26. Sport, Human Rights and Public Action

27. Sport for Social Change

28. Sport, Advocacy the Public Intellectuals

Conclusion: Theses on Sport, Culture and Society

Bibliography

What can sport do to produce social change in our world today? It is impossible to fully understand contemporary society and culture without acknowledging the importance of sport. Sport is part of our social and cultural fabric, possessing a commercial power that makes it a potent force in the world, for good and for bad. It has helped to start wars and promote international reconciliation, and governments around the world commit public resources to sport. Sport matters, but how should you make sense of what is going on in the world of sport today? Now in a fully revised, updated and expanded third edition, this critical, challenging and comprehensive textbook introduces the study of sport, culture and society. International in scope, it challenges us to reactivate an audacious spirit of activism through sport. Full of contemporary examples, it places sport at the heart of the analysis and introduces the reader to every core topic and emerging area in the study of sport and society, including: the history and politics of sport; sport, gender and sexuality; sport, disability and advocacy; sport, race and racism; sport, violence and crime; sport and health; sport, globalisation and democracy; sport, media and cultural relations; sport and the environment; sporting cities and mega-events; sport, poverty and development. Each chapter includes a wealth of useful features, including Sport in Focus case studies, chapter summaries, guides to further reading, revision questions, practical projects, definitions of key concepts and weblinks. Additional teaching and learning resources - including a testbank, resource list and glossary - are available on a companion website. Sport, Culture and Society is the most broad-ranging, in-depth and thoughtful introduction to the sociocultural analysis of sport currently available and sets a new agenda for the discipline. It is essential reading for all students with an interest in sport.