The sociology of sport is a sub-discipline approaching maturity. This is the first book to stand back and reflect upon the subject's growth, to trace its developmental phases and to take stock of the current fund of knowledge. It offers a state of the art' review of the sociology of sport and investigates those areas where sport has come to influence the sociological mainstream. The book also examines how sociology has impacted upon the consciousness of sports fans, administrators and politicians; in other words, the degree of lay engagement with the ideas of sociologists of sport. Focusing...

• How has our understanding of sport been shaped by sociological ideas?
• How can the study of sport help sociologists to understand wider society?

The sociology of sport is a sub-discipline approaching maturity. This is the first book to stand back and reflect upon the subject's growth, to trace its developmental phases and to take stock of the current fund of knowledge. It offers a 'state of the art' review of the sociology of sport and investigates those areas where sport has come to influence the sociological mainstream. The book also examines how the sociology...