The World Cup and social cohesion: bread and circuses or bread and butter?

Given the wide variety of histories, cultures, economies, relationships between government ants and civil societies it is impossible to generalise about the impact of large scale events of social cohesion. Further, there is a lack of relevant systematic and robust research on such issues, most especially in relation to developing economies, each with their own social, cultural and economic trajectories and each with sporting structures and histories (a major aspect of understanding such issues in South Africa). Within in this broad context this paper explores four possible ways that the World Cup might contribute directly and indirectly to increased ‘social cohesion’ in South Africa. These are: imagined communities; the development of forms of social capital via processes of event bidding, managing and delivery; the centrally important role of volunteers and investment in sport-for-development organisations

Large Scale Sports Events: Event Impact Framework, Report to UK Sport

Introduction Although large scale sports events can act as a catalyst for wider urban regeneration schemes, there is substantial scepticism about the claims made for the direct and indirect economic impact of such events This scepticism relates both to the motivations of those making such claims (mostly as part of the lobbying process in advance of the event) and a series of technical, econometric, concerns about the basis of such calculations and the use of multipliers.. Perhaps for this reason increasing emphasis is being placed on „non-economic‟, intangible benefits, benefits (Johnson and Sack, 1996). For example, Dwyer et al (2000 176) argue that „many events incur a financial loss to organisers but produce net benefits to the community‟. For example, Crompton (1995; 2004) lists such benefits as increased community visibility, enhanced community image and psychic income to city residents. Another reason for this increased emphasis is a growing need to secure public support for often very large scale investments – to emphasise the public good nature of such investments which are nearly always subsidised from taxation or Lottery funds by people who will have very little direct contact with the event. However, work on so-called intangibles is not well developed (especially in relation to sports events). There is a substantial body of academic literature reviewing what we do not know (which is a lot). Further, what we need to know is much too comprehensive and methodologically sophisticated for a user-friendly manual and the nature of available monitoring and evaluation budgets (e.g. Ritchie, 1984; Gibson, 1998; Getz, 1998; Hunn and Mangan, 1999; Mules, 1999; Fredline et al, 2003). There is also a substantial body of literature on the negative impacts of large scale sports events, ranging from attacks on civil rights, the harassment of the homeless, the destruction of low cost hosting and property price inflation (Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, 2007a; 2007b) to crowding out of local residents, increased crime, prostitution and traffic congestion and disruption of business. However, this is not intended to be an academic exercise and is more of an attempt to explore the possibility of the development of a user-friendly, practical and feasible guide to measuring some of the impacts of various scales of events. Consequently, the emphasis is largely on the immediate and (hopefully) positive non-economic impacts of events – although any such measurement will inevitable also include some negative assessments. Because of the issues to be addressed, the literature drawn on is wide-ranging and diverse, with most of the key development work being in the areas of tourism studies and the more general event-management literature. For this reason this does not claim to be a comprehensive state-of-the-art review of the wide ranging (and often technical) debates and perspectives to be found in the academic literature - this would require an expert in each field (something to bear in mind if you decide to proceed with a manual) Rather, what follows is based on a reasonably informed selection relating to the core claims about the non-economic impacts of sports events and a broad review of limited research and related issues. Also, because so little directly relevant research has been undertaken, at points we explore theoretical issues. We have done so because it is imperative that any research and evaluation is based on some degree of understanding of the assumptions being made – undertaking monitoring and evaluation without some understanding of what is being assumed leads to poor design and wasted investment. Also such understanding is central to the interpretation of data and the issue of attribution of cause is an issue throughout

Sport and Social Inclusion: Evidence-Based Policy and Practice

This commentary reflects on my experience of compiling the Value of Sport Monitor—an on-line resource of policy-relevant, research on the social impacts of sport—for eight years. The commentary critically evaluates the assumption of the Value of Sport Monitor that social science research in sport is cumulative and it explores sports interest groups’ varying attitudes to the nature of evidence. It illustrates that widespread conceptual and methodological inconsistencies and weaknesses in research greatly reduce the ability to identify best practice and ‘best buys’ as a basis for policy. The commentary concludes by proposing that a way forward for research to contribute to policy and practice is via theory-based evaluation

Football-based prevention of radicalisation: A Theory of Change for football-based prevention of Radicalisation

This paper describes the development of a programme theory for a football-based radicalisation prevention programme. As part of the Belgian Red Courts programme, an initiative of the Belgian Football Association in cooperation with the Vrije Universiteit Brussels and the Hannah-Arendt Institute, a literature review was conducted that links current research on preventing radicalisation with findings from the field of Sport for Development research. The Belgian Football Association is building and renovating 40 mini-football pitches in Belgium, providing sports infrastructure as well as a theory-based football programme to prevent radicalisation and promote social cohesion, and training of coaches to implement the programme. Starting in September 2023, the implementation of the trainings will start in 10 locations, which will be accompanied and evaluated within the framework of a PhD. In 2024, a further 10 locations will be implemented and evaluated. The paper aims to develop and describe a programme theory as the basis of a football curriculum for young people aged 14-18. The central mechanism for the prevention of radicalisation is Daniel Koehler's (2017) theory of re-pluralisation. In the course of the literature review, concrete contents and competences were identified that are considered to prevent radicalisation and at the same time work towards re-pluralisation of the target group in the course of the programme theory. This research aims to contribute to a larger body of scientific literature on the use of sport as an instrument in the prevention of radicalisation but also to develop a theory-based and practice-oriented foundation for promising sports programmes. With the completion of the research, the project will provide empirical evidence about the effect and possibly also the programme's sustainability

Rethinking Sportland: A new research agenda for the Sport for Development and Peace sector

Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) has grown into a huge global field of sport-related activity and intervention, and a heavily researched subject in the social scientific study of sport. In this paper, we advance the case for a new research agenda in SDP, in part to contribute more fully to sustainable development through substantial societal change. We argue that SDP research should engage with wider literatures and theories, notably on political economy and development; take full account of structural changes within the development sphere; and, examine new areas of intervention within SDP per se. To develop our analysis, our discussion is organized into six main parts. We begin by introducing the concept of ‘Sportland’, to reimagine SDP as a strongly institutionalized field of development activity with its own stakeholder networks. Second, we outline the key aspects of prior SDP/Sportland research on which we seek to build. Third, we examine key changes in the political economy and geo-politics of development, which serve to point Sportland scholars towards engaging with fresh literatures in these fields. Fourth, we explore the implications of these changes in order to re-theorize development. Fifth, we detail new ways ahead for Sportland with regard to policy, practice and research, with particular reference to the position of different organizational stakeholders within SDP. Finally, we consider specific areas of future intervention and inquiry within Sportland that require the attention of researchers. Our analysis is underpinned by the many research studies and projects in Sportland which we have undertaken separately or collectively over at least the last decade

The Benefits of Mountaineering and Mountaineering Related Activities: A Review of Literature: A Report to the Mountaineering Council of Scotland

First paragraph: This report presents the findings of a review of literature aimed at identifying robust evidence on the benefits of mountaineering and mountaineering related activities. It presents a review of the evidence available under the following headings: - Economic impact; - Physical fitness and health; - Psychological health and well-being; - Social and other benefits

Football and Health: Getting Strategic

Community foundations and charities operating within professional football clubs are being championed as a vehicle to deliver on the Public Health agenda. This personal commentary from the authors offers insight into the context of football for health drawing on the relevant research literature and their experiences working within the football industry in England. The football and health examples highlight under-resourced and under-evaluated interventions, whilst highlighting the importance of partnership working. The authors hope to support those in football and health in getting strategic through their interventions, evaluations and partnerships, in order to capitalize the potential of football in supporting the objectives of Public Health England

The organizational embeddedness of social capital: a comparative case study of two voluntary organisations

Social capital is a popular, but contested concept. It draws attention to the way in which social relations and constructed forms of social organization can produce outcomes on individual and collective levels. However, it is often founded on individualistic, rational-choice models of human behavior that neglect its embeddedness. I explore the embeddedness of social capital through a comparative case study of two voluntary sport organizations in the UK. Through close analysis of in-depth interviews and longitudinal observation, I look at the processes of social capital development and at how socio-organizational context and identity shape these processes

Sports Clubs, Social Capital and Social Regeneration: 'ill-defined interventions with hard to follow outcomes'?

Recent political and policy concerns with social inclusion, civic renewal and 'joined up' government have placed debates about social capital at the centre of a number of areas of social policy. In this context increasing demands are being made of sport to contribute to this broader social regeneration agenda. This essay explores the nature of sport's presumed contribution, in particular the contribution of sports clubs to the development of types of capital, especially social capital. It concludes that it is not clear what contribution sports clubs can play in this agenda, that the new policy agenda carries dangers of undermining the nature and strengths of the voluntary sector in sport and that more research is required to explore the processes of social capital formation in sports clubs