No description available.

Traditionalist Chinese martial arts (TCMAs) are popular in Britain, and some advocates have made extensive claims of their body-self transformation through sustained training. Despite extensive physiological research, there are few investigations of these practices regarding their socio-cultural practice. This qualitative sociological study examines long-term British practitioners’ experiences of transformation via Taijiquan (Tai Chi) and Wing Chun by addressing five issues: 1) Rationales behind practice 2) Resulting transformations 3) Explicit/implicit pedagogic strategies 4) Cultural transmission 5) Relations to broader social life. It approaches these questions through an emergent research design incorporating autobiographical vignettes as a practitioner-teacher-researcher, life histories of experienced practitioners and ethnographic fieldwork of two case study schools. Following thematic, metaphorical and narrative analysis, a structurationist theoretical framework illuminates the data by incorporating sensitising concepts from diverse thinkers including Bourdieu, Frank, Giddens and Yuasa. The findings are represented through autobiographical, modified realist, impressionist and confessional writing and structure the thesis as follows: Firstly, my own story demonstrates shifts in transformation from a technique-orientated approach to a more spiritual/holistic perspective, finally emerging as a scholarly position of a thinker-martial artist. Secondly, practitioner case studies further articulate transformations along a flexible continuum of changing body-self-society relations interpreted here as three ideal types: Fighters, martial artists and thinkers. Thirdly, the connecting pedagogical issues are addressed, as well-rounded TCMA systems possess specific partner exercises to develop intercorporeal awareness and embodied sensitivity, which are explicit aspects of each association’s martial habitus and body lineage. Meanwhile, socio-linguistic metaphors articulate these transformations and are also interpreted as transformations in thinking and schemes of perception. Overall, these sensitising concepts and empirical findings offer a social theory of shared cultivation that acknowledges transformation on individual, relational, institutional and art levels. This shared cultivation framework may be useful for future methodological, theoretical and empirical considerations of wider physical culture. Key words: Autobiography, Body-self transformation, Chinese martial arts, cultural transmission, ethnography, life histories, qualitative research, sociology, shared cultivation

Research on the role sport might or can play in a post-conflict environment has tended to focus upon sport’s ability to deliver wider development objectives through that known as Sport-for-Development and Peace (SDP) interventions. Such programmes are somewhat notorious for over-looking the wider influence of the pre-established domestic sporting milieus. An ethnographic study of the role sport – and in this case specifically football - plays in what is known as a ‘returnee’ village within the Bosnian Serb Entity of Bosnia-Herzegovina is herein presented in an attempt to understand the complex interplay of power between the village, their neighbours, the state and those who perform and deliver football. The relationships that are established across and within such entities and the negotiations required for co-existence are significant; in a variety of ways they influence the post-conflict processes. The interplay of the varied social and cultural groups that constitute post-conflict Bosnia requires a multi-disciplinary approach to elucidate the post-conflict processes. Utilising a neo-Gramscian approach what follows makes it possible to envisage the International Community, namely the supra-national institutions, international NGOs and funders, in the role of the dominant political group working to create its vision of a hegemony of peace. Concurrently the ethno-political indigenous elite are endeavouring to retain the status quo and have managed to create a period of permanent liminality, preventing Bosnia from creating a post-conflict hegemony. With historic links to nationalist impulses and intricate connections to the current political milieu, football provides a window through which the post-conflict processes of a community may be observed. As what we might best term the War of Position for the establishment of a post-conflict hegemony ensues, the research illustrates that whilst domestic football may be understood as a focal point for the promotion of civil society and carries many capabilities of political capital, there remains a tension between the ethno-political elite and the International Community. Both utilise the game for their own ambitions, but neither of their visions are accepted by the wider Bosnian population.

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to explore how the pleasure and participation sports model as described by Coakley (2009) was reflected through an Advanced Physical Education course. This included an analysis examining whether the model was supported, expanded, or refuted based on characteristics of the model emphasizing (a) democratic leadership, (b) inclusive participation, and (c) the use of cooperation and competition with others to develop and test skills in a healthy and enjoyable context. A single-site, exploratory, qualitative case study design provided the opportunity to investigate the phenomenon under exploration. A particular Advanced Physical Education course was purposefully selected as the bounded case for the study. Fifteen students and one teacher agreed to participate. Semi-structured, one-on-one interviews (audio taped), observations, and documents provided data sources for information collected between August 2010 and April 2011. Data analysis procedures included a constant comparative method in which conceptually congruent categories were constructed to develop multiple iterations of analysis. Themes that developed based on the data suggested that students experienced a sense of enjoyment, empowerment, and connection resulting from their involvement in the class. From an interactionist perspective, as students found themselves interacting with one another in sports such as archery and kayaking, they were able to prescribe meanings that were often very different than their experiences in traditional sports. Conclusions from the study indicated that the course did reflect the pleasure and participation model. This study suggests that if students interpret their experiences in physical education and sports as positive, then they are more likely to participate. Utilizing Coakley’s model is significant because it provides a framework for considering sports from a broader perspective reflecting the diverse youth population. As a result, the research is beneficial in considering how current opportunities in sport and physical education can be expanded to offer all youth an opportunity to participate and experience sociopositive outcomes. This is also noteworthy since research has indicated the importance of physical activity and that in terms of health, the best physical activities consist of ones which are non-competitive and rhythmic (Chenoweth & Leutzinger, 2006; Curry, Arriagada, & Cornwell, 2002).

Diese von der Wirtschafts- und Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Potsdam angenommene Dissertation thematisiert die Selbstorganisation von Migranten in eigenen Sportvereinen und auf anderen Ebenen des Vereinssports. Sie beruht auf den Ergebnissen eines vom Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft geförderten Forschungsprojekts der Universität Potsdam. Mit mehreren hundert Migrantensportvereinen in ganz Deutschland stellt der Sport einen der wichtigsten Gesellschaftsbereiche für die Selbstorganisation von Zuwanderern dar. Doch obwohl sich Migranten in der Bundesrepublik schon seit den 1960er Jahren in eigenen Sportvereinen zusammenschließen, ist das Thema zuvor noch nicht umfassend untersucht worden. Um diese Forschungslücke zu schließen, stellt die Arbeit Basisinformationen über verschiedene Organisationsformen, typische Entstehungszusammenhänge, spezifische Problemfelder sowie wiederkehrende Konfliktmuster bereit und präsentiert darauf aufbauende Annahmen über die Wirkungen der sportbezogenen Selbstorganisation auf das Verhältnis von Einheimischen und Zuwanderern im Sport, auf die allgemeinen interethnischen Beziehungen und auf den gesamtgesellschaftlichen Integrationsprozess. Daran anknüpfend werden mögliche Konsequenzen aufgezeigt, die die verschiedenen Akteure des Sportsystems aus den dargestellten Forschungsbefunden ziehen können. Die Arbeit basiert auf den Befunden einer in den Jahren 2006 bis 2009 durchgeführten empirischen Untersuchung, in der verschiedene qualitative Methoden eingesetzt wurden, um das Forschungsfeld explorativ, ergebnisoffen und in einer möglichst weiten Perspektive zu beleuchten. In erster Linie bestand diese Feldstudie in einer Interviewreihe, für die 25 Vertreter von Migrantensportvereinen sowie 15 Feldexperten aus verschiedenen Berufsgruppen und Organisationen in Leitfaden-Interviews befragt wurden. Ergänzt wurde die Interviewstudie durch eine Zeitungsanalyse, für die sieben Tages- und Wochenzeitungen nach Artikeln zum Thema durchsucht wurden, sowie gezielte Feldbeobachtungen, etwa beim Besuch von Fußballspielen, bei Versammlungen und Festen sowie in Vereinsheimen. Darüber hinaus wurde eine umfangreiche Internetrecherche durchgeführt, bei der vor allem die Webseiten von über 65 Migrantensportvereinen in Augenschein genommen wurden. In allen Untersuchungsteilen war das Vorgehen des Verfassers stark an der Grounded-Theory-Methode orientiert. Die so gewonnenen Forschungsergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass eigenständige Migrantensportvereine, die als vorherrschende Form der sportbezogenen Selbstorganisation von Zuwanderern im Mittelpunkt der Arbeit stehen, aus komplexen gesellschaftlichen Inklusions-, Schließungs- sowie Segmentationsprozessen resultieren und interindividuell unterschiedliche Beteiligungsmotive ihrer Mitglieder aufnehmen. Sie stellen typischerweise multifunktionale Hybridorganisationen dar und erbringen für die beteiligten Migranten und deren lokale Gemeinschaften spezifische Integrations-, Repräsentations- und Solidarleistungen, durch die sie sich signifikant von deutschen Sportvereinen und Migrantenorganisationen in anderen Sektoren abheben. Zugleich unterscheiden sich die Migrantensportvereine untereinander hinsichtlich Vereinstätigkeit, Selbstverständnis und Konfliktbeteiligung sehr stark. Ihre Rückwirkung auf den Vereinssport als organisationales Feld, auf die interethnischen Beziehungen in anderen Gesellschaftsbereichen und auf den gesamtgesellschaftlichen Integrationsprozess ist den präsentierten Forschungsergebnissen zufolge gleichfalls sehr ambivalent. Einerseits erbringen Migrantenvereine nicht nur die gleichen gemeinnützigen Leistungen im Bereich der sozialen Integration wie andere Sportvereine auch, sondern entfalten darüber hinaus, indem sie die Integrationsfähigkeit ihrer Mitglieder erhöhen und Personen in den organisierten Sport einbeziehen, die sonst gar keinem Sportverein beitreten würden, spezifische Integrationswirkungen, die andere Sportvereine nicht aufweisen. Andererseits erhöht die Selbstorganisation von Migranten in eigenen Sportvereinen soziale Distanzen und Spannungen zwischen Einheimischen und Zuwanderern, zumal Migrantensportvereine vor allem an den manchmal gewaltvollen Konflikten im Amateurfußball überproportional häufig beteiligt sind. Darüber hinaus stellt ein relativ kleiner Teil der Migrantensportvereine wegen Organisationsdefiziten eine ernste Belastung für die Tätigkeit der Sportverbände dar. Pauschalisierende Negativbewertungen der Vereine werden vom Verfasser jedoch als ungerechtfertigt und nicht sachangemessen zurückgewiesen. / This Ph.D. dissertation submitted to the Department of Economics and Social Sciences at the Universität Potsdam focuses on the self-organization of migrants in sport clubs and on other various levels of the club sport system. It is based on the findings of a research project by the Universität Potsdam, which was funded by the German Federal Institute for Sport Science (Bundesinstitut für Sportwissenschaft). Sport represents a major societal area for the self-organization of migrants, with several hundred migrant sport clubs established throughout Germany. However, the topic has not yet been scientifically investigated, although migrants in the Federal Republic have been members of autonomous sport clubs since the 1960s. In order to fill this research gap, this dissertation provides basic information about different forms of organization, typical founding circumstances, specific problems and frequent conflict patterns, and presents assumptions on the effects sport related self-organization has on interethnic relations in sport and society and the general integration process. An outline of the potential consequences which different actors within the sport system could draw from these findings then follows. The text is based on the results of an empirical study conducted from 2006 to 2009, in which a variety of qualitative methods has been employed in order to explore the field of investigation as openly and widely as possible. This field study consisted primarily of a set of interviews, in which 25 executives of migrant sport clubs and 15 experts from different professions and organizations were surveyed in questionnaire guided interviews. In addition, a newspaper analysis was implemented; seven daily and weekly papers were searched for articles pertaining to the topic, and systematic field observations were conducted at soccer matches, meetings and parties, as well as in club houses. In addition, extensive internet research was undertaken by examining the home pages of more than 65 migrant sport clubs. The investigation was strongly oriented on the grounded theory method. The findings of these investigations indicate that autonomous migrant sport clubs, which are the main focus of the book as the dominant form of sport related migrant self-organization, result from complex social processes of inclusion, exclusion and segmentation and take on diverse individual motives for participation. They typically serve as multifunctional hybrid organizations, which fulfill different functions of integration, representation and solidarity for the migrants involved and their local communities, thereby significantly differing from German sport clubs and other migrant organizations respectively. At the same time, migrant sport clubs vary strongly in terms of club activity, self-concept and conflict involvement. Their influence on the club sport system as their organizational field, on interethnic relations in other sectors of society, and on the general integration process is also very ambivalent according to the presented findings. Migrant sport clubs not only accomplish the same merits of social integration as other sport clubs but also promote integration in specific ways by improving their members’ ability for integration and involving persons in organized sport that otherwise would not join a sport club. However, the self-organization of migrants in sport clubs also increases social distances and tensions between migrants and natives, especially since migrant sports clubs are often involved in the sometimes violent conflicts of amateur soccer. In addition, a relatively small number of migrant sport clubs severely affects the activities of sport associations because of deficits in organization. Generalized criticism towards these clubs is nevertheless rejected by the author as unjust and inadequate.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-08-03T16:15:56Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Rogerio Toto.pdf: 1183457 bytes, checksum: 2d9a4d1bcc159ba0f20bad43ced91ec0 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-08-28 / The present study tries to identify how the belonging of the social class interferes in the directions and perspectives of a Brazilian young person related to the soccer show, as well the understanding of the social mechanisms which determine the decision of the subjects to invest in the professional sport career instead of a school long trajectory. We begin with some social approach to the critical analysis of the processes of diffusion, popularization and professional development occurred in the context of the post-industrial society. We emphasize the conflictive change of the modality, at the beginning practiced by the high class with social-distinctive reasons for sport of mass ideal of social increasing of the popular class, besides the dependence with the media, of the reasons which took it to characterize itself as a product of the cultural industry, concluding in the change of the soccer into goods submitted to laws and logic of the society of consume. Next, we joined the relations of power, alliance and competition of the social agents which participate of the complex field of the sports practice with the sources that the young public establish contact with the sport show, in this aspect, special attention was given to the media, diffuser of the ideology of an open capitalist society , which reinforce the idea of the sport to be a way of social increasing for people of low income, at the same time that it omits in its discourse the real probabilities of fulfillment of the sporting success. The field research was fulfilled in two schools of São Bernardo do Campo city SP, one of them from the public schools and the other from the private ones. This way, we established two groups with students from different social classes, composed of students from the first grade of the high school, male sex, with 15 years old, and soccer trainers in the Physical Education classes. We used the method of the participative watching and the interviews as instruments for the collection of data, and we joined it to the objectives of the study, we structured the analysis of the collected material in six categories, including questions about: the continuation of the study and work, the tendencies to the professional sporting practice, the social representation around the soccer, the use and habits in the spare time, and the expectations of the sportive practice influenced by the familiar cultural heritage. As theoretical reference of analysis, we used Pierre Bourdieu the concepts of field, habitus, strategy, economic and social capital, and mainly cultural capital, beginning from the hypothesis that the cultural level of the student and his family is a factor that interferes in the directions and ways of appropriation of the sport. Among other conclusions, we got as a result the configuration of a professional sporting trajectory for the students of low social class, in opposite of the long school trajectory strategically adopted by the students of the high social class.(AU) / O presente estudo busca identificar em que medida o pertencimento de classe social interfere nos sentidos e perspectivas do jovem brasileiro frente ao futebol espetáculo, bem como compreender os mecanismos sociais que determinam a decisão de os sujeitos investirem na carreira profissional esportiva em detrimento da trajetória escolar longa. Começamos com uma abordagem sociológica, a análise crítica dos processos de difusão, massificação e profissionalização do futebol ocorridas no contexto da sociedade pós-industrial. Enfocamos a conflituosa mutação da modalidade, inicialmente elitizada com fins social-distintivos para esporte de massa ideal de ascensão social da classe popular , além da dependência com a mídia, das razões que levaram a caracterizar-se como produto da indústria cultural, culminando com a transformação do futebol em mercadoria submetida às leis e lógica da sociedade de consumo. Em seguida, entrelaçamos as relações de poder, aliança e concorrência dos agentes sociais que participam do complexo campo das práticas esportivas com os canais com que o público jovem estabelece contato com o esporte espetáculo. Neste aspecto, especial atenção foi dada à mídia, difusora da ideologia de uma sociedade capitalista aberta, que reforça a idéia do esporte como via de ascensão social para indivíduos de baixa renda, na mesma medida em que oculta em seu discurso as reais probabilidades de concretização do sucesso esportivo. A pesquisa de campo foi realizada em duas escolas do município de São Bernardo do Campo (SP), uma da rede pública estadual e outra da rede particular de ensino. Assim, constituímos dois grupos com alunos de distintas classes sociais, compostos por estudantes do 1º ano do Ensino Médio, sexo masculino, com 15 anos de idade e praticantes de futebol nas aulas de Educação Física. Metodologicamente, fizemos uso da observação participante e de entrevistas como instrumentos para a coleta de dados. Conjugadas aos objetivos do estudo, estruturamos a análise do material colhido em seis categorias, articulando questões sobre o prosseguimento nos estudos e o trabalho, as tendências para a pratica esportiva profissional, as representações sociais em torno do futebol, os usos e costumes no tempo livre e as expectativas da pratica esportiva implicadas pela herança cultural familiar. Como referencial teórico de análise, utilizamos de Pierre Bourdieu os conceitos de campo, habitus, estratégia, capital econômico, social e, principalmente, capital cultural, partindo da hipótese de que o nível cultural dos alunos e seus familiares interferem nos sentidos e formas de apropriação do esporte. Entre outras conclusões, obtivemos como resultado a configuração de uma trajetória esportiva profissional voltada para os alunos de baixa classe social, em oposição à trajetória escolar longa, estrategicamente adotada pelos alunos de classe social alta.(AU)

Le sport est reconnu, par un nombre croissant de sociologues, comme un moyen heuristique de compréhension du social contemporain. Au cours de l'année 2007, l'institution sportive a été confrontée à une situation particulière. En effet, Oscar Pistorius, un athlète double amputé tibial appareillé, participe à des compétitions dites de « valides » (meetings internationaux d'athlétisme). La singularité de cette situation génère des controverses médiatisées à propos de la légitimité de sa participation. L'étude de cas, fondée sur une approche « pragmatique », vise à mettre en évidence ce que ces controverses révèlent du sport dans les sociétés contemporaines. L'analyse des discours médiatiques à propos de Pistorius montre que cet athlète pose un problème de catégorisation sportive. En effet, d'une part, les performances qu'il produit le distinguent de la catégorie « sportif handicap » et semblent permettre de l'intégrer dans la catégorie « athlète valide ». Mais d'autre part, son appareillage empêche d'entériner cette classification sportive. Malgré le verdict du Tribunal Arbitral du Sport qui l'autorise à participer à toute compétition d'athlétisme, la persistance des controverses témoigne du fait que la situation de Pistorius marque une rupture de l'intelligibilité sportive. Cette situation doit alors être comprise comme une monstruosité, au sens foucaldien du terme, car elle met en échec les définitions nécessaires pour penser le sport. Remettant en question les fondements de l'institution sportive, la situation controversée de Pistorius révèle ainsi la manière avec laquelle le sport met en ordre les athlètes. Plus précisément, cette monstruosité donne à voir l'incapacité de l'institution sportive à prendre en charge la différence radicale des corps performants appareillés. / Sport is acknowledged, by an increasing number of sociologists, as an heuristic way to understand contemporary societies. During year 2007, sports institution was faced up to a particular situation. Indeed, Oscar Pistorius, a double legs amputated athlete with artificial lower limbs, takes part in « able bodied » competitions (international athletics meetings). The singularity of this situation causes media covered controversies regarding legitimacy of his involvement. The study of this case, based on a « pragmatic » approach, highlighting what those controversies show from sport in contemporary societies.The analysis of media speeches about Pistorius reveals that this athlete poses a sports categorization problem. Indeed, on the one hand, the performances he produces distinguishes between him and « disabled athlete » category and seems to allow to put him in the « able bodied » one. But, on the other hand, his artificial limbs prevent from validating this sports classification. Despite the verdict of the Court of Arbitration for Sport which autorises him to take part in all athletics competitions, the persistence of controversies shows that Pistorius’ situation gives a breach of sports understandability. Then, this situation has to be understood like a monstrousness, in the Foucaldian sense of the word, because it messes up the required definitions to think sport. Challenging sports institution basis, thus the disputed pistorius’ situation reveals the way in which sport sets athletes in order. More exactly, this monstrousness proves sport inability to take charge of the efficient fited bodies radical difference.

This research report is a narrative on my encounter with sport psychology. I used the metaphors of “touring” and “journal” to guide the construction of this narrative. Before embarking on my tour with sport psychology, I introduced myself as researcher (chapter 2, journal entry I) and stated the research problem, question and goal(s)(chapter 3, journal entry II). I then went on a tour with sport psychology. I visited a sport psychology museum to learn more about the history of sport psychology (chapter 4, journal entry III) and a sport psychology library to learn more about the field of sport psychology (chapter 5, journal entry IV). I also attended a sport psychology conference to become better acquainted with postgraduate sport psychology training in Psychology Departments (chapter 6, journal entry V). I also visited a sport psychology department at a university in Australia, to witness the delivery of a postgraduate training programme in sport psychology (chapter 7, journal entry VI), as well as a sport centre in South Africa and a sport institute in Australia, to see how and the extent to which sport psychology was practised (chapter 8, journal entry VII). After my tour with sport psychology I took what I had learnt and adapted the MA (Counselling Psychology) programme at the University of Pretoria, South Africa. This led to the programme having three core modules and two elective modules. The core modules are fundamental psychology, counselling psychology and career psychology. The elective modules are: community psychology and sport psychology. The sport psychology module consists of the following courses: sport psychology, sport management, sport sociology and exercise psychology. The Professional Board of Psychology at the Health Professions Council of South Africa approved this module at the end of 2003 (chapter 9, journal entry VIII). Finally, I also looked at the influence of my experience with sport psychology on my identity as a psychologist (chapter 10, journal entry IX). / Thesis (PhD (Psychology))--University of Pretoria, 2006. / Psychology / unrestricted