Philosophy and the Sciences of Exercise, Health and Sport is a unique interdisciplinary study that calls on researchers in these disciplines to reflect more critically on the nature and aims of scientific enquiry. In doing so, the book questions the underlying assumptions and development of science itself. Written by a range of internationally respected philosophers, scientists and social scientists, each chapter addresses a key issue in research methodology. Questions asked by the authors include: Do natural and social scientists need to understand the philosophy of science? Are statistics misused in sport and exercise science research? Is sport science research gender-biased? How do external and commercial interests skew professional guidelines in health and sport reserach? Should scientists focus their attention on confirmation of theories, or on attempts to falsify them? Philosophy and the Sciences of Exercise, Health and Sport serves notice to exercise, health and sport researchers to think more philosophically about their subject and its scientific bases. It is essential reading for postgraduate researchers seeking to establish a sound theoretical foundation for their work.
Philosophy and the Sciences of Exercise, Health and Sport is a unique interdisciplinary study that calls on researchers in these disciplines to reflect more critically on the nature and aims of scientific enquiry. In doing so, the book questions the underlying assumptions and development of science itself. Written by a range of internationally respected philosophers, scientists and social scientists, each chapter addresses a key issue in research methodology. Questions asked by the authors include: Do natural and social scientists need to understand the philosophy of science? Are statistics misused in sport and exercise science research? Is sport science research gender-biased? How do external and commercial interests skew professional guidelines in health and sport reserach? Should scientists focus their attention on confirmation of theories, or on attempts to falsify them? Philosophy and the Sciences of Exercise, Health and Sport serves notice to exercise, health and sport researchers to think more philosophically about their subject and its scientific bases. It is essential reading for postgraduate researchers seeking to establish a sound theoretical foundation for their work.
This investigation into the rationale and validity of prevailing research methodologies used in sport, exercise and health science calls on researchers to reflect critically on the nature and aims of scientific enquiry in these disciplines.
The book Philosophy of Sport: International Perspectives represents the work of some of the leading moral and philosophical academics in the popular practice of sport. All contributors are scholars and researchers in the area of the Philosophy of Sport, a growing area of serious study within universities and colleges across the world. The contributors are also active members of the International Association for the Philosophy of Sport—a worldwide organisation dedicated to the development of the philosophy of sport as a serious and influential area of academic study. The book adds to the growing literature, which focuses on rigorously examining the global significance that sport plays in the fabric of twenty-first century life. Articles within the book provide a diverse set of ideas related to sport—from more familiar issue related to the ethics of performance enhancing substances and fair play, to issue of nationalism, and the way sport can contribute to human well-being.
Qualitative forms of inquiry are a dynamic and exciting area within contemporary research in sport, exercise and health. Students and researchers at all levels are now expected to understand qualitative approaches and be able to employ them in their work. In this comprehensive and in-depth introductory text, Andrew C. Sparkes and Brett Smith take the reader on a journey through the entire qualitative research process that begins with the conceptualization of ideas and the planning of a study, moves through the phases of data collection and analysis, and then explains how findings might be represented in various ways to different audiences. Ethical issues are also explored in detail, as well as the ways that the goodness of qualitative research might be judged by its consumers. The book is based on the view that researchers need to make principled, informed and strategic decisions about what, why, when, and how to use qualitative forms of inquiry. The nature of qualitative research is explained in terms of both its core assumptions and what practitioners actually do in the field when they collect data and subject it to analysis. Each chapter is vividly illustrated with cases and examples from published research, to demonstrate different qualitative approaches in action and their relative strengths and weaknesses. The book also extends the boundaries of qualitative research by exploring innovative contemporary methodologies and novel ways to report research findings. Qualitative Research Methods in Sport, Exercise and Health is essential reading for any student, researcher or professional who wishes to understand this form of inquiry and to engage in a research project within a sport, exercise or health context.
The role and value of science within sport increases with ever greater professionalization and commercialization. Scientific and technological innovations are devised to increase performance, ensure greater accuracy of measurement and officiating, reduce risks of harm, enhance spectatorship, and raise revenues. However, such innovations inevitably come up against epistemological and metaphysical problems related to the nature of sport and physical competition. This Special Issue identifies and explores key and contemporary philosophical issues in relation to the science of sport and exercise. It is divided into three sections: 1. Scientific evidence, causation, and sport; 2. Science technology and sport officiating; and 3. Scientific influences on the construction of sport. It brings together scholars working on philosophical problems in sport to examine issues related to the values and assumptions behind sport and exercise science and key problems resulting from these and to provide recommendations for improving its practice.
ÔSšderman and Dolles have assembled an impressive array of researchers to address the nexus between sport and business. In their rich collection of research on sport business theory and practice Sšderman and Dolles identify research themes from governance to branding, from sport events to sport systems, and from social media to fan identity, and they specifically reflect on the application of major theoretical concepts and key research methods. The authorsÕ aim is to advance sport business research through critical reflection on topic selection, research design, data analysis and interpretation. Their unique approach encourages researchers, from novice to experienced, to embrace diverse theories and methods. The Handbook is recommended reading for those interested in advancing sport business research.Õ Ð Graham Cuskelly, Griffith University, Australia ÔThis insight-laden volume encompasses today's and tomorrow's research across the multifaceted landscape of the business side of sport -- from branding and sponsorship to media and technology, from club management to governance. It effectively encompasses both theory and practice. Scholars, students, and practitioners will find this cogent collection of international consumer and business research knowledge and perspectives both informative and useful.Õ Ð Stephen A. Greyser, Harvard Business School, US ÔThis Handbook directly responds to the rapid professional, commercial and international development of sport. With its thoughtful structure, comprehensive coverage of topics and renowned contributors it offers a thorough analysis on the management challenges in the field. It also offers very valuable insights and guidance how the business of sport can be researched by students, academics and practitioners around the world. The book is simply a must-read for anyone interested in the management aspects of sports.Õ Ð Yoshiaki Takahashi, Chuo University, Tokyo, Japan This Handbook draws together top international researchers and discusses the state of the art and the future direction of research at the nexus between sport and business. It is heavily built upon choosing, applying and evaluating appropriate quantitative as well as qualitative research methods for practical advice in sport and business research. Topics covered for analysis include sports governance, regulation and performance; media and technology; club management and team structure; place, time and spectators of sporting events; and sport branding and sponsoring. The Handbook covers research examples from elite sport to the amateur level, and from different sports, from cycling to cricket, from ice hockey to motorsports, and from football to skiing. It will be read and used by academics and PhD students as well as sports practitioners looking for useful ways of expanding knowledge, conducting research or searching for insights into the challenges of managing sport.
This Reader provides comprehensive coverage of the scholarly literature in sports tourism. Divided into four parts, each prefaced by a substantial introduction from the editor, it presents the key themes, state of the art research and new conceptual thinking in sports tourism studies. Topics covered include: understanding the sports tourist impacts of sports tourism policy and management considerations for sports tourism approaches to research in sports tourism Articles cover a broad range of the new research that has a bearing on sports tourism and include diverse areas such as the economic analysis of sports events, sub-cultures in sports tourism, adventure tourism and tourism policy.
The Bloomsbury Companion to the Philosophy of Sport features specially commissioned essays from a team of leading international scholars. The book, by providing an overview of the advances in the philosophical understanding of sport (and related practices), serves as a measure of the development of the philosophy of sport but it also constitutes an expression of the discipline's state of the art. The book includes a critical analysis of the historical development of philosophic ideas about sport, three essays on the research methods typically used by sport philosophers, twelve essays that address vital issues at the forefront of key research areas, as well as four essays on topics of future disciplinary concern. The book also includes a glossary of key terms and concepts, an essay on resources available to researchers and practitioners, an essay on careers opportunities in the discipline, and an extensive annotated bibliography of key literature.
This book presents a cross-disciplinary examination of the lived experiences of girls and women football players using theoretical insights from sports studies, psychology, sociology and gender studies. It examines the concept of ‘the football self’ – your own, personal football identity that encapsulates the importance of football to our everyday lives – and what that can tell us about the complex relationships between sport, family, gender and identity. The book draws on in-depth ethnographic research involving players and family members, and offers important new insights into the everyday experiences of those girls and women who play. It breaks new ground in focusing on the significant relationships between player and family with a particular focus on parenting through football. The book brings to the fore key debates around gender identity, barriers to participation, cultural gaps and discrimination. The author also brings a personal perspective to bear, drawing on experience gained over 20 years as a player, adding an extra critical layer to her important empirical research. This is essential reading for all researchers and students with an interest in football, sport studies or issues around gender, inclusion or the family in sport, and fascinating reading for anybody generally curious about football.
