Assessing the sociology of sport: On the trajectory, challenges, and future of the field

Abstract

On the fiftieth anniversary of the International Sociology of Sport Association and the International Review for the Sociology of Sport, the three guest editors for this special fiftieth anniversary issue of the IRSS, current ISSA president, Elizabeth CJ Pike, the immediate past president, Steven J Jackson, and current IRSS editor, Lawrence A Wenner, introduce the issue's genesis and theme: '50@50: Assessing the trajectory and challenges of the sociology of sport'. In considering the trajectory of the sociology of sport, the ISSA and the IRSS, they reflect on the early development of the field and the founding of an international association and journal aimed at understanding sport in the social and cultural dynamic; they note early and ongoing challenges concerning the academic seating of the field, its legitimacy and impact, and its engagement with the public sphere and the 'sociological imagination'. Speaking to the challenges of fashioning a special issue to represent the breadth of 50 years of the sociology of sport, the editors outline how a '50@50' strategy was implemented to bring perspectives from 50 notable scholars and to ensure that a diversity of voices was heard, not only on a range of themes, theories and methods, but from diverse identities and locales. Addressing two overarching challenges -the global dominance of English as the lingua franca of scholarly discourse and the need to advance interdisciplinarity and engagement with scholars beyond the sociology of sport -will be key to broadening dialogue to help ensure the future sustainability and progress of the sociology of sport.

The Sociology of the Taste for Sociology of Sport

“…Donnelly (2015) argues that not only does engaged and relevant sociological research have the power to change lives but that our work "should make a difference" (p. 422), in part through being shared beyond the academy. Pike, Jackson, and Wenner (2015) believe that sociologists of sport are already active as public sociologists, and argue that the field "has had considerable influence, playing diverse roles in policy development" and directing the attention of the public and media "to a myriad of pressing issues facing sport in society today" (p. 359). In contrast, Bairner (2009) argues that institutional constraints and the antipathy some critical sociologists of sport show toward their subject matter has made it challenging for sociologists of sport to "assume the mantle of public intellectuals" (p. 115).…”

“…In New Zealand, the research field seems in reasonable health, although sportrelated Faculties and Departments around the country are undergoing significant restructuring and there is increasing pressure to do more with less. Pike et al (2015) recently summarized the state of the field by arguing that In many countries, sociologists of sport are valued as expert commentators on sport and regularly approached by media to comment on current issues. However, just as institutional rewards do not always advantage the public intellectual (Bairner, 2009;Dudding, 2016), they may also function as barriers to building connections with those working in professional contexts (e.g., coaches, marketers, media workers, policy-makers, or national and international sport federations and organizations).…”

“…Although some sociologists of sport are already actively engaging in this way, it might be valuable to consistently host conference sessions on these issues in order to reveal the pleasures and pains, and provide signposts for success, of trying to build relationships, and make change outside the academy and beyond our classrooms. We may also need to develop a strategy for circulating our work more widely into other disciplines (Bruce, 2015;Pike et al, 2015). As sport has become increasingly culturally important, other disciplines have entered the fray, and many of these "newcomers" appear completely unaware that sport sociology exists.…”

“…Nor do they cite the excellent research and theorizing that has already been produced by sociologists of sport, which suggests that our work still has to find its place in the broader sociological field. As Pike et al (2015) conclude: "In order to effectively challenge the marginalization of the field and to transact more integrally with the worlds of sport and sociology, sociologists of sport will need to facilitate meaningful dialogue and collaborations with scholars working in other social sciences, sport sciences and mainstream sociology" (p. 361). Are we up for the challenge?…”

Intersections of Gender and National Identity in Sport: A Cultural Sociological Overview

“…Bairner () and Bruce () assert that sport sociologists have too often failed to scrutinize their theories and have been content simply to view social inequality through the lens of sport. Still others warn that applying the wrong theories can “unwittingly” contribute to the field's marginalization and put its future at risk (Pike et al , 361). Who is to decide then?…”