Sport Politics: An Introduction (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9780230295476)

This innovative new text examines sport's relationship with politics and argues that sport has always been political, even as far back as antiquity. However, in the last 30 years there has been an unprecedented politicization of sport through increasing government intervention.

Jonathan Grix takes a comprehensive and engaging look at sport politics by examining state involvement in initiatives from sports mega-events through to grass-roots and community sport activities. Providing an accessible introduction to this growing area of study, the text examines a number of approaches to the topic - including theories from Political Science, Sociology and International Relations - and adopts a critical framework throughout. In doing so the text discusses the relationship between social capital and sport, how governments use sport for non-sporting objectives and the role of governance in sport policy. Real-world examples demonstrate just how entwined sport and politics are: from ardent soccer fans effectively 'locked-in' by ever-increasing ticket prices, to taxpayer's money funding ever more extravagant international sports mega-events, to the moral and political implications of doping.

Author: Jonathan Grix
ISBN-10: 0230295479
ISBN-13: 9780230295476
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
Language: English
Published: 11/03/2015
Pages: 248
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.60d