Reflexiones sociológicas figurativas y de proceso sobre el deporte y la globalización: algunas observaciones conceptuales y teóricas, con especial referencia al fútbol

Este artículo se divide en tres partes. La primera, consiste en un comentario conceptual-teórico sobre la globalización y en varios ejemplos del mundo globalizado del deporte; la segunda, es un comentario sobre el desarrollo y la extensión global del fútbol; y la tercera, expone el comentario de algunas patologías relacionadas con el deporte. A lo largo del artículo se aplica el enfoque sociológico figurativo y de proceso desarrollado por Norbert Elias. En resumen, este trabajo es fundamentalmente un ejercicio de sociología relacional y de proceso. El ‘fútbol’ –‘Football Association’ en su nombre originario– se ha convertido en el deporte de equipo más popular del mundo. Surgió a mediados y finales del siglo xix en Gran Bretaña e Irlanda y se extendió rápidamente por todo el mundo. El artículo analiza ese proceso y finaliza con el comentario sobre: la anomia que experimentan muchas personas deportistas de alto nivel; los escándalos sexuales relacionados con el deporte que aparecen principalmente en la prensa amarilla; y, para terminar, el azote continuado, a nivel mundial, de la violencia en el fútbol

#BBQBecky & #PermitPatty: African-American Humor & Resistive Discourse on Twitter

Humor has always been a social tool by which to navigate the slings and arrows of human existence. This has been exceptionally true for historically marginalized groups, such as African-Americans. Throughout U.S. history, “Black humor” has served to challenge authority, resist domination, lampoon the powerful and assuage injustices. It has served and both balm and weapon for a cultural group that has often found itself on the outside looking in, while being punished for being in that position. However, even within marginalized groups, canonical examples of cultural humor have been largely produced by a small segment of the population (i.e.,comedians, writers, poets, musicians). Social media, Twitter especially, has removed the barriers of production and gatekeeping of humor. Therefore, by examining responses to a cultural moment by “non-elite” African-Americans on Twitter, as the this paper does, helps to elucidate some evident trends, narratives, rhetorical strategies and tropes that may possibly be considered universal hallmarks of “Black Humor” as resistive discourse. Furthermore, these hallmarks can perhaps be understood to be the preeminent forms by which African-Americans create community, resist oppression and challenge hegemonic norms

'Testing' Elias : aspects of Violence Viewed in Long-Term Perspective

This 'polemical' paper is concerned with 'testing' key elements of Elias's theory of 'civilising processes' in a non-positivistic sense. More particularly, Elias's undifferentiated concept of violence is broken down into ten categories, some of which are then used to shed light on war, genocide, crime, punishment and sport seen in long-term perspective. The work of a range of authors who are more or less critical of Elias is next considered and the conclusion reached that, contrary to a common opinion, far from being falsified by their arguments and evidence, Elias's work is vindicated in most major respects. It, thus, represents what he himself regarded as a breakthrough.Aquest article «polèmic» es dedica a «posar a prova» els elements centrals de la teoria dels «processos de civilització» d'Elias en un sentit no positivista. Més concretament, el seu concepte genèric de violència es divideix en deu categories, algunes de les quals ajuden a entendre millor la guerra, el genocidi, el crim, el càstig i l'esport des d'una perspectiva a llarg termini. La presa en consideració de l'obra per part d'una sèrie d'autors, poc o molt crítics amb Elias, permet d'arribar a la conclusió que, en contra d'allò que s'ha dit sovint, les argumentacions i les proves aportades no «falsen» en absolut l'obra d'Elias, sinó que en reivindiquen la validesa en la majoria dels seus aspectes centrals. Es constata, doncs, que les aportacions d'Elias en relació a la violència permet un «trencament epistemològic» amb el sentit comú en aquest àmbit

Norbert Elias and Modern Sociology

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book explores the interplay between the making of Elias as a sociologist and the development of his core ideas relating to figurations, interdependence, and civilising processes. Focusing on the relevance of Elias's work for current debates within sociology, the authors centrally consider his contributions to the sociology of knowledge and methodology. Dunning and Hughes locate the work of Elias within a discussion of the crisis of sociology as a subject, and compare his figurational approach with the approaches of three major figures in modern sociology: Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu. This highly readable and engaging book will be essential reading for students and scholars of sociological theory and methods

Norbert Elias and Modern Sociology

This book is available as open access through the Bloomsbury Open Access programme and is available on www.bloomsburycollections.com. This book explores the interplay between the making of Elias as a sociologist and the development of his core ideas relating to figurations, interdependence, and civilising processes. Focusing on the relevance of Elias's work for current debates within sociology, the authors centrally consider his contributions to the sociology of knowledge and methodology. Dunning and Hughes locate the work of Elias within a discussion of the crisis of sociology as a subject, and compare his figurational approach with the approaches of three major figures in modern sociology: Anthony Giddens, Michel Foucault and Pierre Bourdieu. This highly readable and engaging book will be essential reading for students and scholars of sociological theory and methods

SOBRE PROBLEMAS DE IDENTIDADE E EMOÇÕES NO ESPORTE E NO LAZER: COMENTÁRIOS CRÍTICOS E CONTRA-CRÍTICOS SOBRE AS SOCIOLOGIAS CONVENCIONAL E CONFIGURACIONAL DE ESPORTE E LAZER

O presente artigo trata da análise sociológica que as emoções despertam no esporte e no lazer e em suas instituições. Desenvolve uma análise teórica a partir da abordagem eliseana de configuração, em especial a teoria de processos civilizatórios. On problems of identity and the emotions in sport and leisure: critical and counter-critical comments on the conventional and figurational sociologies of sport and leisure Abstract This article deals with the sociological analysis of the emotions arisen in sport and leasure and their institutions. It develops a theoretical analysis from the elisean configuration point of view, especially with regard to the civilizing processes

Suicide rate in the dental profession: Fact or myth and coping strategies

This article summarizes relevant scientific data on the alleged high suicide rate among dentists as compared to other health care professions. Potential contributing risk factors for the dental profession are identified. In addition, a brief review is provided for major depressive disorder, a contributor to increased suicide, along with its symptoms, underlying theory, drug treatment and coping skills to combat this disorder.

Statins and Exercise Training Response in Heart Failure Patients: Insights From HF-ACTION.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to assess for a treatment interaction between statin use and exercise training (ET) response. BACKGROUND: Recent data suggest that statins may attenuate ET response, but limited data exist in patients with heart failure (HF). METHODS: HF-ACTION (Heart Failure: A Controlled Trial Investigating Outcomes of Exercise Training) was a randomized trial of 2,331 patients with chronic HF with ejection fraction ≤35% who were randomized to usual care with or without ET. We evaluated whether there was a treatment interaction between statins and ET response for the change in quality of life and aerobic capacity (peak oxygen consumption and 6-min walk distance) from baseline to 3 months. We also assessed for a treatment interaction among atorvastatin, simvastatin, and pravastatin and change in these endpoints with ET. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed for each endpoint, adjusting for baseline covariates. RESULTS: Of 2,331 patients in the HF-ACTION trial, 1,353 (58%) were prescribed statins at baseline. Patients treated with statins were more likely to be older men with ischemic HF etiology but had similar use of renin angiotensin system blockers and beta-blockers. There was no evidence of a treatment interaction between statin use and ET on changes in quality of life or exercise capacity, nor was there evidence of differential association between statin type and ET response for these endpoints (all p values \u3e0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In a large chronic HF cohort, there was no evidence of a treatment interaction between statin use and short-term change in aerobic capacity and quality of life with ET. These findings contrast with recent reports of an attenuation in ET response with statins in a different population, highlighting the need for future prospective studies. (Exercise Training Program to Improve Clinical Outcomes in Individuals With Congestive Heart Failure; NCT00047437)