The Sports Process: A Comparative and Developmental Approach

The Sports Process uses a historical/developmental approach to explore the development of sport, its international diffusion, and ongoing changes in sport around the world.

Thirteen international leaders in the sociology of sport study sport beginning with the ancient world and progressing through the end of the cold war. They examine how sport development is affected by
-politics,

-gender roles,

-nationalism,

-capitalism,

-class,

-race conflict, and

-economics.
Part I, Perspectives on the Making of Modern Sports, emphasizes the need to study sports not only in one place and time, but as they change and evolve through time. The contributors contend that to understand any sport as it exists today, you must examine the social processes that transformed it from early forms of play into an organized game. Part I looks at these processes over a broad span of time, from ancient civilizations through the Victorian period.

Part II examines the diffusion of modern sport from its beginnings in 18th-century England throughout the rest of the world. You'll learn about some of the factors that influenced this diffusion, both outward to other countries and downward within each country from higher to lower social levels.

Part III compares sports across modern cultures. The contributors examine how major ideologies of the 20th century--capitalism, socialism, and nationalism--have affected the practice and development of sport in various countries.

The Sports Processis a valuable reference for scholars and students studying the sociology of sport. The book also includes such special features as suggested research tasks, a guide to further reading, and essay suggestions which make it an excellent supplemental text for classes in sport sociology, sport history, and comparative physical culture.

""I was greatly stimulated and challenged by this book. By introducing a new way of looking at the sociology of sport the editors may just be able to infuse the field with a new vitality and excitement. In particular, the use of a process sociological approach opens up so many new and exciting possibilities and should be considered seriously by all of us wishing to inject new dynamism into our work. Perhaps, what the authors are offering, either wittingly or otherwise, is a new unifying paradigm for the sociology of sport. If they are successful, and I hope they are, The Sports Process: A Comparative and Developmental Approach will undoubtedly become a classic in the field.""

Andrew Yiannakis, PhD
Direcotr, Laboratory for Leisure, Tourism & Sport
University of Connecticut

""This collection of readings fills a gap currently existing in sociology of sport. . . . Despite the progressive thinking and conceptualization, however, the reader should find this collection user friendly. The reading serve as an excellent foudnation on which to base discussion.""

Susan L. Greendorfer, PhD
Sport Sociologist
University of Illinois