Sociology of Sport HLTH 1014

1
Sociology of SportHLTH 1014
2
INTRODUCTION TO SPORT SOCIOLOGY/SPORT THEORIES
(Chapters 1 2 Coakely, 2004 8th ed)
3
Sociology of SportWhat is it?Why Study it?

• It is a subdiscipline of sociology that studies
  sports as a part of social and cultural life
• However What is Sport? What is Physical
  Activity? What is Leisure? What is Recreation?
• For the purposes of this class sports are
• Physical activities
• Competitive activities

4

• We will mainly be concerned with organised
  institutionalised sporting activities
  (nationally, internationally and globally)

5
What are institutionalised activities?

• Institutionalisation is a sociological term
  referring to the process through which behaviours
  and organisations become patterned or
  standardised over time from one situation to
  another (Coakely, 2004. 8th ed)
• Institutionalised activities have formal rules
  and organisation structures
• Therefore cannot compare what goes on in beach
  cricket with grade, state or test cricket
  ( ie beach cricket has no
  formal rules, governing bodies, technical
  aspects, formalised game skills)

6
Using Sociology of Sport

• Understanding sociological concepts/issues in
  sport can provide us with an informed perspective
  with respect to
• Power (economic, political)
• Globalisation
• Marginalisation
• Stigmatisation
• Racism
• Sexism
• Hooliganism
• Drugs (etc)

7
Sociology of Sport is about

• Thinking critically about sports to identify and
  understand social problems and social issues
  associated with sports in society
• Viewing sports not just in terms of physical
  performance but also as a social phenomena
  considering peoples feelings, thoughts and lives
• Learning about sports so that you can make
  informed choices about your sport or the sports
  in your community
• Thinking about how to challenge ways in which
  sports disadvantage some categories of people and
  privilege others

8
Sport sociology and making a difference

• The conclusions sport sociologists make can
  sometimes create controversy because conclusions
  often call for institutional change
• The conclusions often threaten people in
  positions of power and control and who believe
  that current organisation of sport is right and
  natural ie
• Racial vilification (AFL)
• Sledging (Cricket)
• Women and sport participation

9
Why study sports as a social phenomena?

• Sport is clearly a part of many cultures
  throughout the world
• Sport is a huge global economy pervading many
  facets of our lives (TV, radio, newspaper,
  advertising)
• Many sportspeople are more well known and revered
  than other prominent people within some cultures
  
  ( eg several Australians of the year- Mark
  Taylor, Pat Rafter, Steve Waugh)
• Sports talk can be a site for socialisation (ie
  easy ice-breaker)
• Sports have become something around which
  individuals can create an identity (for some more
  so than education, career, religion or family)

10
Also study sports as a social phenomena

• Because many aspects of sport transcend social
  spheres
• Sports and the family
• Sports and the economy
• Sports and the media
• Sports and politics
• Sports and education
• Sports and religion

11

• Overall, sports and sport images have become a
  pervasive part of our everyday lives, especially
  those of us living in countries where resources
  are relatively plentiful and the media are
  widespread. For this reason, sports are logical
  topics for the attention of sociologists and
  anyone else concerned with social life today.
  (Coakely, 2004 p.9)

12
Sociology of Sport Theories

• We use social and cultural theories to help us
  study, and change, sports
• The best sociology of sport theories
• Help us ask questions and seek information that
  enable us to see sports in new ways
• Understand the relationship between sports and
  social life
• Make informed decisions about sports and sports
  participation in our lives, families, communities
  and societies

13
Theories used in Sport Sociology

• Six major theories
• Functionalist theory
• Conflict theory
• Interactionist theory
• Critical theories
• Feminist theories
• Figurational theory

14
Functionalist Theory

• Takes on the notion that everything is inherently
  good in sports
• That sports positively change lives, communities
  and social settings
• That sport is a natural environment in which
  participants interact smoothly and efficiently
• These are viewpoints that many students will have
  at the beginning of their undergraduate career

15
Conflict Theory

• Based on ideas of Karl Marx
• Assumes social life revolves around money, wealth
  and economic forces
• Conflict theorists assume that major forms of
  sport in society promote the interests of people
  with money and economic power
• Conflict theorists see sport as diminishing the
  power of those without money whilst enhancing the
  power and privilege of those who control wealth
  and the economy
• However,
• Conflict theory inspires research and discussion
  on how sports perpetuate power and privilege of
  elite groups in society and serve as tools of
  exploitation and oppression

16
Interactionist Theory

• Focuses on meaning, identity, social
  relationships and subcultures in sports
• Inspires discussion and research about the
  experiences of athletes and how the athletes
  define and make sense out of their participation
  in sports
• Participant observations and in-depth interviews
  are the most appropriate forms of research
  methodologies

17
Critical Theories

• Most widely used theories for those who study
  sports in society
• Take many forms in focusing on explanations of
  culture, power and social relations
• Whereas functionalist and conflict theorists say
  sport is a reflection of society critical
  theorists explain that sport is much more and
  that sports are sites in which culture is
  produced and reproduced (therefore more important)

18
Feminist Theories

• Based on the assumption that sports are gendered
  activities
• Critical feminist theorists are concerned with
  power relations and gender dynamics that
  privilege men over women
• Assume that the meaning, organisation and purpose
  of sports are grounded in the values and
  experiences of men and celebrate notions of
  masculinity

19
Figurational Theory

• Has its roots in history based intellectual
  traditions in Europe (Not well known in US and
  Australia)
• Those who use this theory focus on historical
  processes
• Figurational theory has inspired a good deal of
  research on the global impact of sports in terms
  of global economy, global media-sport complex,
  global sport and politics (How these have emerged
  over time)

20
What theories are best?

• Theories are tools that help us ask questions,
  collect and analyse information, and interpret
  the implications of the analyses.
• Our choice of theories is influenced by our goals
  and political agendas.
• The best theories are those that help us find
  ways to make the world more democratic and
  humane. Arent they?