Social Capital and Sport Governance in Europe (Routledge Research in Sport, Culture and Society)

Although there is significant interest in the social role of sport in fostering civil society from both policymakers and academics, there is a lack of evidence of the specific role of sport federations in this system. This book critically presents the mechanisms and structures in a selection of sport federations within a variety of European countries that illuminate the varied relationships between not-for-profit sport federations, their members, governments and the citizens they represent. The contributors explore the contrasts and synergies between core social capital theoretical perspectives, and how these may be informed by and/or shape the realities of governance from different perspectives within the sport system.

Margaret Groeneveld is Lecturer in Social Sciences of Sport at University of Ulster.

Barrie Houlihan is Professor at the Institute of Sport & Leisure Policy at Loughborough University.

Fabien Ohl is Professor at the University of Lausanne.