Sport Policy

Living with imperfect comparisons: The challenges and limitations of comparative paralympic sport policy research

“…It is against this broader backdrop that the comparative sport policy literature has emerged with practitioners and academics (e.g., Bergsgard et al, 2007;De Bosscher et al, 2006, 2008Digel, 2002Digel, , 2005Green & Houlihan, 2005;Houlihan & Green, 2008) seeking solutions to the increasingly complex problems of delivery and management of high performance sport. In particular, comparative sport scholars and practitioners alike have sought answers to the following questions:…”

“…These underlying philosophical differences have resulted in different research design and methodological choices that have attempted to engage with different levels of political analysis with some sport scholars focusing on what De Bosscher et al (2006) described as meso-level aspects and others on macro-level aspects (Bergsgard et al, 2007;Wing Hong To, Smolianov, & Semotiuk, 2014). Bergsgard et al (2007) suggests this difference in emphasis is more likely a reflection of sport researchers" underlying philosophical assumptions and symptomatic of the longstanding debate in social science between those who emphasize structural/institutional factors versus agents and agency.…”

“…De Bosscher et al (2008) acknowledged there was no perfect model for comparing high performance sport systems although a few have tried (e.g., Bergsgard et al, 2007;Digel, 2002;De Bosscher et al, 2008Green & Houlihan, 2005;Green & Oakley, 2001;Houlihan & Green, 2008;Petry, Steinbach, & Tokarski, 2004;Truyens et al, 2014). These earlier attempts were, for the most part, descriptive and atheoretical exploring the relative strengths and weaknesses of successful Olympic nations (e.g., Digel, 2002Digel, , 2005Petry, Steinbach, & Toraski, 2004; for exception see Green & Oakley, 2001).…”

“…In an attempt to answer these questions, sport scholars have created and developed theoretical models to help compare nations often through empirical examination (e.g., Bergsgard et al, 2007;Digel, 2002;De Bosscher et al, 2008Green & Houlihan, 2005). Although these approaches share commonalities, they also vary in their overall interests and emphasis, and in some cases are underpinned by fundamentally different philosophical traditions.…”

“…Many of the issues discussed within this broader literature, are also evident within, and have implications for, the current direction of comparative sport management/policy research and its application to Paralympic sport specifically. The second body of work that will be used for this article relates directly to the comparative sport management/policy literature (e.g., Bergsgard et al, 2007;Digel, 2002;De Bosscher et al, 2008Green & Houlihan, 2005;Houlihan & Green, 2008;Truyens et al, 2014) and more directly the ongoing work examining comparative research in the Paralympic domain (Dowling et al, 2017;Legg & Darcy, 2015;Pankowiak, 2015).…”