Sport, Exercise and Social Theory

Now in a fully revised and updated new edition, Sport, Exercise and Social Theory is a concise and engaging introduction to the key theories that underpin the study of sport, exercise, and physical activity in society. Structured around C. Wright Mills's concept of the sociological imagination, the capacity to connect personal troubles to public issues and individual biographies to broader social structures, the book shows how theory can be used to debunk many of our traditional assumptions about sport and exercise, and how sport and physical activity can be a powerful window through which to observe and understand wider society. Designed to be used by students who have never studied sociology before, the book provides training in critical thinking and helps students develop intellectual skills that will serve them throughout their professional and personal lives. This new edition includes significantly expanded coverage of feminism and theories related to gender, including new material on the Manosphere, intersectionality, and the trans athletes debate, as well as completely new chapters on nationalism, decolonial perspectives, and ableism and disability. Every chapter includes updated cases and examples, from sportswashing and athlete activism to digital fan cultures, artificial intelligence, and the controversies around sporting mega-events, drawing throughout on the author's own internationally recognised research. Useful pedagogical features include 'Stop and Think' boxes, biographical notes on key theorists, and chapter summaries. This book is an essential companion to any course on sport and society, the sociology of sport, or the contemporary uses of social theory. Additional resources for instructors accompany this book, including classroom discussion topics and exercises, plus exam questions. The online resources can be found at www.routledge.com/9781041401759