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'I'm your teacher, I'm Brazilian!' Authenticity and authority in European capoeira |
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Capoeira, the Brazilian dance and martial art is now globalised and taught widely outside Brazil. Instruction is provided by Brazilians who are living in self-imposed exile from their homeland. The authentic capoeira that such teachers provide is a major attraction for non-Brazilian students. However, there is little research available on the motivations and strategies of overseas capoeira instructors. Building on a long term ethnographic study, this paper showcases the goals and strategies of one successful Brazilian teacher, from the Beribazu Group of Capoeira, working in the UK. This teacher reflects upon his four interlocking aims for his students and the strategies for achieving them. They should develop social cohesion, appreciate Brazilian culture, play good capoeira and learn to move their bodies acrobatically, flexibly and beautifully. Two sociologists embed the teacher's perspective on his work in an analytic framework derived from Bourdieu.
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Beyond Consent? Paternalism and Pediatric Doping |
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In this essay, I argue that the issue of pediatric/adolescent doping is one that merits serious philosophical attention. I consider whether an adolescent who is legally competent to consent to medical pharmacologies such as contraceptive pills ought to be allowed to consent to doping products. The former case, well known in medical ethics, is often referred to as “Gillick competence” following the court case brought by the mother of an adolescent (Mrs. Gillick) whose consent was first considered satisfactory by her medical doctor and then the Law Lords of Great Britain. I first discuss issues of vulnerability and exploitation of adolescent athletes that might underwrite a soft paternalistic response. I go on to argue that the harms attendant to doping, as opposed to the regulated use of the medical profession to prescribe oral contraceptives, are of a potentially greater magnitude to the successful adolescent patient/sportsperson themselves in contrast to the relatively well known risks of contraception. I also argue that the complexity of the weighing of potential harms and benefits are such that informed consent cannot be reached by adolescents. Moreover, given the public prominence of the WADA antidoping legislation, and the general public support for them, there will necessarily be a lack of transparency in the potential consent process, which undermines any audit for the accountability of the consent process. I conclude that Gillick competence ought not, therefore, to be viewed as a precedent for pediatric or adolescent consent to doping and that the “weak” or “soft” paternalistic prevention of doping is justified.
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Women & Football References |
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Lawrence, K. (1998) Making Our Mark: Women Playing Australian Rules Football in Melbourne, Football Studies, vol. 1, no. 2, pp. 115-122.
Marschik, M. (1998) Offside: The Development of Women’s Football in Austria, Football Studies, vol. 1, no. 2. Pp. 69-88.
Carle, A. & Nauright, J. (19999) A Man’s Game?: Women Flaying Rugby Union in Australia, Football Studies, vol 2, no. 1, pp. 55-73.
Cox, B. & Thompson, S. (2001) Facing the Bogey: Women, Football & Sexuality, Football Studies, vol. 4, no. 2, pp. 7-24.
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'Identity work: young disabled people, family and sport' |
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It has long been recognised that family is an important arena in which sporting tastes and interests are nurtured. Indeed, for many young people the family introduces them to and then provides ongoing support for engaging in sport. Research has also indicated that the family has a significant position in the lives of young disabled people. In this paper we explore the interrelationships between sport, family and disability. Like a number of writers within disability studies we see the benefits of moving beyond a structure/agency dichotomy that currently limits social and medical model understandings of disability. In particular, we draw on the work of Marcel Mauss and Pierre Bourdieu both of whom argued that social life can be better understood by considering the embodiment of individuals through their habitus. We draw on data generated in an interview-based study with 10 young disabled people to explore the ways in which family contributes to, and mediates, sporting tastes and interests. We consider two key questions: How do young disabled people negotiate relations within the family and in what ways do these relations influence sporting tastes and interests? To what extent are young disabled people able to use sport to generate and convert (valued) capital within the family and other related arenas?
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Learning to be a ‘Rugger Man’: High School Rugby ... |
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....and Media Constructions of Masculinity in Japan
Although rugby is not as popular as baseball or soccer (since 1993) its national championships attract considerable media attention that is evenly split between the soccer championships held in Tokyo and the overlapping rugby championships held in Osaka. There are approximately 1200 high schools and 300 junior high schools fielding rugby teams in Japan and, for the boys who are members of the teams that qualify, the annual national championships constitute the culmination of three years of sustained effort at senior high school. The more committed high school teams may train almost daily for up to twelve months of the year and for many boys playing at this level it can provide access to university education and employment. As such it forms a highly significant experience in the formation of their masculine identity and the way that the media represents the ‘ritual’ at the championships at Hanazono represents a powerful force in the development of adolescent masculinity. This article examines the ways in which television and print media represent the practice of high school rugby football at the Japanese high schools national rugby championships and its role in the construction of a hegemonic masculinity. More specifically, it looks at the selective processes through which the media present events on the field and represent a diverse community as homogenous and uniform (King & Rowse, 1983), conforming to a dominant model of masculinity.
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'Involuntary career termination in sport: a case study of the process of structurally induced failur |
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Sport can be perceived as one of the contemporary key socializing agencies with which a significant number of children and youth come in to contact. The nature of this contact between the institution of sport and the individual is erratic, leading to the, often abrupt and unforeseen, termination of the individual's sporting career. In this essay, our aim is to draw wider attention to the personal adjustments young athletes undergo during and after their career has been institutionally terminated. Our analysis is embedded in theory as well as empirical, qualitative evidence gathered through semi-structured, long interviews with eight ex-varsity athletes. In shedding light on the personal consequences of structurally induced failure in sport, we seek to approach these issues from a socio-psychological angle and examine specific, personal layers of those via the lived experiences of 'drop-out' varsity athletes.
BSC
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Abused athletes' perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship |
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The coach-athlete relationship is often one of the most important and influential relationships experienced by a young athlete.1 While coaches may have many positive influences on young athletes, emerging literature also indicates problems of abuse. In fact, recent research indicates that athletes are not immune from experiences of physical, sexual and emotional abuse.2 Furthermore, the power of the coach is thought to be a contributing risk factor in abusive relationships.3 The purpose of this study therefore was to investigate abused athletes' perceptions of the coach-athlete relationship. More specifically, we were interested in abused athletes' perceptions of the power held by the coach, and the influence of this power on an athlete's experience of abuse. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine previously abused athletes; four retired elite female gymnasts and five retired elite female swimmers. Consistent with previous research, the participants reflected upon the significant power held by the coach over the athlete. The findings contributed to existing literature by revealing specific ways in which the coach's power influenced the athletes' experiences of abuse and their ability to report incidences of maltreatment. These findings are discussed and recommendations are made for abuse prevention and future research.
BSC
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Search for the hero: an investigation into the sports heroes of British sports fans |
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This is an initial study into British sports fans' heroes. A questionnaire was sent to 95 students (average age = 19.75) to identify their sporting hero, the hero's sport and nationality and the reasons for this choice. Football was the most common source of sports heroes, identified by 49% of participants with a sporting hero. The majority (60%, N = 48) of heroes chosen by participants were British, with David Beckham the most popular choice. Differences were observed between the gender of participants, gender of hero chosen and the reasons for choosing the hero. The most common reason for selecting a hero was a personal trait rather than skill, while in the questionnaire a category of Local Affiliation was added to those suggested by previous work. It was concluded that to become a hero athletes should combine skill with devotion to family, charity work and a place in popular culture.
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Journals 