Sport and Society

Despite its economic and cultural centrality, sport is a relatively neglected and undertheorized area of sociological research. In this review, we examine sports\u27 articulation with stratification issues, especially race, class, and gender. In addition, we look at how the media and processes of globalization have affected sports.We suggest that sports and cultural sociologists need to attend more closely to how leisure products and practices are produced and distributed and how they intersect with educational, political, and cultural institutions. We propose the work of Bourdieu andthe new institutionalism to undergird future research

The association between social capital and mental health and behavioural problems in children and adolescents: an integrative systematic review

Background Mental health is an important component of overall health and wellbeing and crucial for a happy and meaningful life. The prevalence of mental health problems amongst children and adolescent is high; with estimates suggesting 10-20% suffer from mental health problems at any given time. These mental health problems include internalising (e.g. depression and social anxiety) and externalising behavioural problems (e.g. aggression and anti-social behaviour). Although social capital has been shown to be associated with mental health/behavioural problems in young people, attempts to consolidate the evidence in the form of a review have been limited. This integrative systematic review identified and synthesised international research findings on the role and impact of family and community social capital on mental health/behavioural problems in children and adolescents to provide a consolidated evidence base to inform future research and policy development. Methods Nine electronic databases were searched for relevant studies and this was followed by hand searching. Identified literature was screened using review-specific inclusion/exclusion criteria, the data were extracted from the included studies and study quality was assessed. Heterogeneity in study design and outcomes precluded meta-analysis/meta-synthesis, the results are therefore presented in narrative form. Results After screening, 55 studies were retained. The majority were cross-sectional surveys and were conducted in North America (n = 33); seven were conducted in the UK. Samples ranged in size from 29 to 98,340. The synthesised results demonstrate that family and community social capital are associated with mental health/behavioural problems in children and adolescents. Positive parent–child relations, extended family support, social support networks, religiosity, neighbourhood and school quality appear to be particularly important. Conclusions To date, this is the most comprehensive review of the evidence on the relationships that exist between social capital and mental health/behavioural problems in children and adolescents. It suggests that social capital generated and mobilised at the family and community level can influence mental health/problem behaviour outcomes in young people. In addition, it highlights key gaps in knowledge where future research could further illuminate the mechanisms through which social capital works to influence health and wellbeing and thus inform policy development

Comparing Children’s Behavior Problems in Biological Married, Biological Cohabitating, and Stepmother Families in the UK

A large body of research shows that children who live with two married biological parents have lower levels of externalizing and internalizing behavior problems compared to their peers in other family structure, including cohabitating biological families. Such patterns suggest that marriage provides a uniquely protective family environment, though we know less about children in the obvious counterfactual case: married stepfamilies. While research suggests children with stepfathers have more behavior problems than those living with married biological parents, we know little about how children with stepmothers fare, or how children with stepparents fare compared to those living with cohabiting biological parents. We use the Millennium Cohort Study (MCS) sweep 6 to compare children living with married biological parents, married fathers and stepmothers, and cohabiting biological parents. We find that family structure has no significant relationship with children’s internalizing behavior problems, but that children living with a stepmother and biological cohabitating families exhibit more externalizing behavior problems than do those living with married biological parents. Covariates that indicate both physical and social family environments must be considered together to explain differences in married-parent families on externalizing behavior problems

Race differences in educational attainment of youth aged 7-18 in post-apartheid South Africa: The role of family structure, resources and school quality

The present study uses seven waves of the General Household Survey by Statistics South Africa to examine the role of family structure, resources and school quality in educational inequalities in post-apartheid South Africa. Indians/Asians and whites have an education advantage over Africans and coloureds, and maintain that advantage as they age. About half of the disadvantage of Africans and coloureds is because of family background; very little is because of school characteristics that can be measured in this study. Findings show that the family institution is central in understanding racial inequalities in educational outcomes in South Africa

Sedimentary and chemostratigraphic record of climatic cycles in Lower Pliensbachian marl–limestone platform successions of Asturias (North Spain)

A combined sedimentological, lithological and chemostratigraphical (Mg/Ca, δ13C, δ18O) analysis of the Lower Pliensbachian marl–limestone platform successions exposed along the Asturias coastline (northern Spain) has resulted in the characterization of high-frequency cycles. The highest-order sedimentary cycles (i.e. elementary cycles) are centimeter- to deciemeter-thick alternations of bioclastic and muddy laminated/burrowed facies, which do not match the marl–limestone couplets. They encompass three sedimentary stages: deposition from storm-density currents (bioclastic facies), dominant lateral advection of continental terrigenous mud accumulated on to an oxygen-deficient seafloor (laminated facies), and recovery of bottom oxygenation involving the burrowing of laminated sediments (burrowed facies). The close match between the number of elementary cycles recorded during the Jamesoni Subzone in Asturias and Yorkshire (Northern England) gives support to the idea of the influence of a regional climatic factor (i.e. millennial-scale cyclicity). Decimeter- to meter-scale cycles formed by bundles of elementary cycles are thought to record orbitally driven climatic changes (precession or obliquity, depending on the time calibration considered). Lower hemicycles of bundles are dominated by marls/calcareous mudstones, with decreasing burrowing and eventual preservation of laminated facies. They formed during humid periods, which controlled an increase in freshwater and terrigenous input to the platform and quasi-estuarine circulation promoting bottom-anoxia. Upper hemicycles of bundles are dominated by burrowed and bioclastic limestones, thought to be formed under arid conditions with anti-estuarine circulation and an increase of shallow carbonate production and offshore resedimentation. Chemostratigraphic data from belemnites recorded in the muddy laminated and burrowed facies indicate that significant concomitant shifts in δ13C and δ18O occurred during the lower hemicycles of bundles (i.e., humid periods). Isotopic shifts are interpreted as reflecting changes in the balance between the proximity of the terrestrial sources, the local incursion of deeper cooler waters, the storage of organic matter within sediments, and the re-cycling of organic matter, due to long-term relative sea-level rise.Departamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Zaragoza, EspañaUnidad de Tres Cantos, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, EspañaMuseo del Jurásico de Asturias, Españ

High-resolution chemostratigraphic records from Lower Pliensbachian belemnites: palaeoclimatic perturbations, organic facies and water mass exchange (Asturian basin, northern Spain)

A very high-resolution chemostratigraphic study of elemental, stable-isotope and strontium-isotope ratios (Mg/Ca, δ13C, δ18O, and 87Sr/86Sr) performed on belemnites from two Lower Pliensbachian sections of the Asturian basin (northern Spain) is presented here for the first time. The samples have been screened for diagenetic alteration using cathodoluminescence and elemental analyses. A total of 162 well-preserved belemnites analysed show a δ13C range between − 1.4‰ and + 2.8‰ V-PDB, with the lowest values recorded in the Jamesoni Zone and the highest values in the Ibex Zone. Maximum δ18O values (− 0.1‰ V-PDB) are recorded in the Jamesoni Zone, while minimum values (− 3.1‰ V-PDB) are observed in the Ibex Zone. The δ13C temporal trend of raw and running average values shows a positive excursion during the Ibex Zone, coinciding with development of organic facies. This carbon-isotope maximum seems to be reproduced in different basins around the world, suggesting a probably global effect for this event. The strontium-isotope stratigraphy reveals a trend comparable to the reference curve, with a steep descent from the uppermost part of the Jamesoni Zone to the Davoei Zone. The occurrence of a reasonably good correlation between δ18O and Mg/Ca ratios suggests that both may be useful for the record of marine palaeotemperatures. Paired curves of averaged temperatures from both proxies indicate a near flat temporal trend of seawater temperatures during the Jamesoni Zone, followed by warming for the Ibex Zone. During the uppermost Ibex to lowermost Davoei zones the two curves show divergence. This divergence may be consistent with a brief episode of influx of warmer and saltier waters from the southern equatorial oceans (Tethys/Panthalassa) during the Ibex–Davoei transition, previously reported for other basins, followed by a return to cooler temperatures during the Davoei Zone. The latter suggests the interruption of the connection with the equatorial oceans in this basin, resulting in a greater influence of cooler waters from the northeastern parts of the European epicontinental seaInstituto Geológico y Minero de España, EspañaDepartamento de Ciencias de la Tierra, Universidad de Zaragoza, EspañaMuseo del Jurásico de Asturias, EspañaDepartamento de Geología, Universidad de Oviedo, Españ

Isotope records (C-O-Sr) of late Pliensbachian-early Toarcian environmental perturbations in the westernmost Tethys (Majorca Island, Spain)

The late Pliensbachian–early Toarcian (Early Jurassic) was a time of major environmental changes that culminated with the Early Toarcian Oceanic Anoxic Event (T-OAE, ca. ~183 Ma). This period is marked by significant disturbances in the carbon cycle and rapid climatic changes. To improve the understanding of the expression of these events in westernmost Tethyan domains, this study provides new belemnite and bulk carbonate C and O stable isotope records of a ~5 Myr upper Pliensbachian to middle Toarcian marine succession of the Balearic Basin (Es Cosconar section, Majorca). Time resolution has been improved by combination of biostratigraphic (ammonoids and brachiopods) and geochronologic (87Sr/86Sr) methods. Seawater paleotemperatures derived from δ18O belemnite records reveal cooler paleotemperatures in the upper part of the Spinatum Zone. The uppermost Spinatum Zone is characterized by the onset of a warming event that crosses the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary, culminating with the warmer temperatures (up to ~10 °C of warming) for the Serpentinum Zone of the lower Toarcian. This warming event has been detected contemporaneously in many other European and Tethyan basins and is interpreted to represent generalized raised seawater temperatures linked to the T-OAE. Four significant δ13C events have been recorded in belemnite and bulk carbonate records. The first is a negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE) around the Pliensbachian-Toarcian boundary, which is best represented in the belemnite record. Soon after, the bulk‑carbonate record shows a positive shift in the lower Tenuicostatum Zone concomitant with a return to background values in the belemnite record, suggesting strong water stratification or decoupling probably related with export of neritic carbonate to the basin. The third is a negative CIE represented in bulk carbonate across the Tenuicostatum-Serpentinum zonal transition, which could be correlated with the negative excursion characterizing the onset of the T-OAE in other sections. The position of this excursion corresponds with a gap in the belemnite record. Finally, in the lower Toarcian, both the bulk carbonate and belemnite carbon isotope records show pronounced positive CIEs in the lower-middle part of the Serpentinum Zone. These CIEs testify the impact of the T-OAE in the Balearic basin.Unidad de Tres Cantos, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, EspañaDepartamento de Paleontología, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, EspañaUnidad de Baleares, Instituto Geológico y Minero de España, Españ

‘Intensive mothering’ in the early years: the cultivation and consolidation of (physical) capital

This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Sport, Education and Society on 26 September 2014 available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/13573322.2014.941797Growing pressure on parents to equip their children with the skills required for future success, coupled with an increased focus on providing quality learning experiences in the early years, has contributed to an upsurge in the enrolment of young children in formal (often privatised) activities. Moreover, in response to growing societal concerns over the perceived risks of obesity and sedentary lifestyles, parents are often acutely aware of the importance of providing plentiful physical activity opportunities for their children within this enrichment context. In this paper, the tendency for parents to provide copious developmental opportunities is referred to as ‘intensive mothering’ and is explored through the theoretical lens of Bourdieu, specifically his concepts of habitus and capital. This paper reports on a small-scale study undertaken within the UK, which sought to explore the impact of social class on access to early years’ provision as well as parental attitudes towards physical activity and the provision of preschool physical development opportunities. Data were generated through a questionnaire (disseminated via early years settings) as well as three in-depth interviews with ‘middle-class’ parents and were analysed to draw out key themes relating to the cultivation and consolidation of (physical) capital. The data indicate that many parents perceive a ‘responsibility’ to aid their children's physical development and demonstrate a willingness to facilitate the acquisition of physical capital via the provision of play equipment, privatised classes and additional (informal) physical activity opportunities. Moreover, they suggest that ‘middle-class’ parents, in particular, articulate the need to invest heavily in enrichment activities, influenced by their own experiences, tastes and values. It is argued that ‘intensive mothering’ is illustrative of the reproduction of a class-based habitus and can be perceived as an attempt to maintain or improve social position through the cultivation, consolidation and, ultimately, conversion, of appropriate capital