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.

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.

The sociology of sport is a core discipline within the academic study of sport. It helps us to understand what sport is and why it matters. Sociological knowledge, implicit or explicit, therefore underpins scholarly enquiry into sport in every aspect. The Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of Sport is a landmark publication that brings together the most important themes, theories and issues within the sociology of sport, tracing the contours of the discipline and surveying the state-of-the-art. Part One explores the main theories and analytical approaches that define contemporary sport sociology and introduces the most important methodological issues confronting researchers working in the social scientific study of sport. Part Two examines the connections and divisions between sociology and cognate disciplines within sport studies, including history, anthropology, economics, leisure and tourism studies, philosophy, politics and psychology. Part Three investigates how the most important social divisions within sport, and in wider society, are addressed in sport sociology, including ‘race‘, gender, class, sexuality and disability. Part Four explores a wide range of pressing contemporary issues associated with sport, including sport and the body, social problems associated with sport, sport places and settings, and the global aspects of sport. Written by a team of leading international sport scholars, including many of the most well-known, respected and innovative thinkers working in the discipline, the Routledge Handbook of the Sociology of Sport is an essential reference for any student, researcher or professional with an interest in sport.

"A welcome addition for those who teach sports studies... Used as a primer, this book provides readers with excellent introduction to the key sociological concepts, methods, and theories, and, also offers useful examples and contextualised discussions that beginners to the realm of sociology will no doubt appreciate. Beedie has compiled for students a good companion text that could certainly be used in conjunction with more detailed books, and, to guide students through more complex academic texts. Students have certainly appreciated Beedie's efforts to help them apply sociological rigour to analysing their sporting worlds, identities and experiences." - Geoffery Kohe, Worcester University "This should be highly useful for any sports studies students who are encountering the sociology of sport for the first time, even those who have previously studied sociology." - Alison Cain, Hertfordshire University Sociology is central to the study of sport in higher education. This reader-friendly textbook introduces all of the subject’s core themes, such as power, diversity and mediation, and relates them to major contemporary social issues such as commercialisation and globalisation. Special emphasis is given throughout to examples drawn from the UK and to the significance of the 2012 Olympics. Theoretical explanation is fully supported by case studies, practical and reflective exercises and guidance on further study.

Offering a ‘state of the art’ review of the sociology of sport and investigating those areas where sport has come to influence the sociological mainstream, this book examines how sociology has impacted upon the consciousness of sports fans, administrators and even politicians. As the first book to provide a history of the sociology of sport and to clearly locate the contemporary discipline in the wider currents of sociological discourse, Sport and Sociology is important reading for all students and scholars interested in the relationship between sport and society, whether they are working in sport studies or in the sociological mainstream.

Now available in paperback, this vital handbook marks the development of sports studies as a major new discipline within the social sciences. Edited by the leading sociologist of sport, Eric Dunning, and Jay Coakley, author of the best selling textbook on sport in the USA, it both reflects and richly endorses this new found status. Key aspects of the Handbook include: an inventory of the principal achievements in the field; a guide to the chief conflicts and difficulties in the theory and research process; a rallying point for researchers who are established or new to the field, which sets the agenda for future developments; a resource book for teachers who wish to establish new curricula and develop courses and programmes in the area of sports studies. With an international and inter-disciplinary team of contributors the Handbook of Sports Studies is comprehensive in scope, relevant in content and far-reaching in its discussion of future prospect.

Any study of sport is incomplete without consideration of its social function and structures, its economic impacts both locally and globally, and its political dimension – particularly when used by nations for competitive gain. Sport Sociology provides a comprehensive overview for any student taking a course on the subject at college or university, including both established and emergent themes, from issues around power, diversity and consumerism through to newer topics such as the digital environment and climate change – both now covered in new individual chapters. Other chapters have been fully revised to include up-to-date literature and case studies, as well as new key terms and reflective tasks. A new ‘Key Thinker’ box feature included in each chapter introduces readers to an esteemed theorist relevant for the chapter topic to help link theoretical concepts to practice and offer up suggestive research directions for student assessment.

A collection of texts providing a useful resource for students in the field of sports studies. Subject headings include approaches to the study of sport, the development and structure of modern sport, sport and power relations, and major issues in contemporary sport.

This third edition takes a fresh approach to the study of sport, presenting key concepts such as socialization, race, ethnicity, gender, economics, religion, politics, deviance, violence, school sports and sportsmanship. While providing a critical examination of athletics, this text also highlights many of sports' positive features. This new edition includes significantly updated statistics, data and information along with updated popular culture references and real-world examples. Newly explored is the impact of several major world events that have left lasting effects on the sports realm, including a global pandemic (SARS-CoV-2, or Covid-19) and social movements like Black Lives Matter and Me Too. Another new topic is the "pay for play" movement, wherein college athletes demanded greater compensation and, at the very least, the right to profit from their own names, images and likenesses.

Sociology of Sport and Social Theory presents current research perspectives from major sport scholars and leading sociologists regarding issues germane to the sociology of sport while addressing traditional and contemporary sociological theories.