PRESENCE AND BODY-OWNERSHIP: THE CASE OF THE EXERCISING AVATAR

This theoretical study on the sport exercises of virtual bodies (avatars) in virtual Fitness Clubs discusses the sense of being in the Virtual World (VW) in relation to virtual exercises and concepts on body ownership and presence. Based on interdisciplinary research and data, the purpose of this theoretical reflection is to contribute to the formulation of a more coherent theoretical model surrounding the issue of sport exercises and the virtual body. This matter emerges as a significant topic in the field of sport sociology and sport science in general and provides fertile ground for multiple analyses for future research.  Article visualizations

EXPERIENCING THE MYTH: GREEKNESS AND THE GERMAN HERO

This article explores the influence that an unexpected athletic success can have on the construction of national identity while attempting to answer the question on how such a success can be used as a means to overcome national crises. Using a reflective analysis, this study examines the impact of the Euro 2004 Championship on Greece’s national identity, highlighting the correlation between two events associated with Greekness, to wit national pride and Hellenic identity in the sport, economic and social contexts. The first event was the unpredicted victory of the Greek football team in 2004, thanks to their German coach Otto Rehhagel, and the second Rehhagel’s visit to Athens in March 2013, in his informal role of political mediator, in an attempt to contribute to restoring Greek-German friendship which had been shattered during the country’s period of economic memorandums. This conceptual paper uses a qualitative discourse analysis to explain and understand human action through an examination of media texts and symbolic narratives: the headlines and narratives on the Euro 2004 victory in the Greek and foreign press and media, along with the slogans used by football fans after each victory, voicing the ‘superiority’ of Greekness.   Article visualizations

SPORT AS A MEANS OF INCLUSION AND INTEGRATION FOR "THOSE OF US WITH DISABILITIES"

Can sport provide a platform for disability awareness as regards both social and biological dimensions? How can sport serve as a tool or means of social inclusion for persons or athletes with disabilities? To address these questions our qualitative study begins with a review of current research on the social dimensions of disability, namely diverse forms of social exclusion experienced by "those of us with disabilities" (McCall, 2016), such as attitudinal, institutional and environmental barriers, subsequently followed by a case study in Greece. Initially, we discuss today’s shift to inclusion—which advocates a more inclusive and people-first perspective as well as a more empowering language—and distinguish between two concepts/approaches, integration and inclusion, mainly through educational schemes, so as to facilitate the analysis that follows on sport’s role in eliminating social and institutional barriers and promoting inclusion. Inclusive education is a central objective of the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), and other UN and UNESCO initiatives. In this context researchers have been examining sport and physical education as tools, instruments or means of social inclusion and/or integration. Accordingly, to determine whether—and to what extent—sport participation contributes to the inclusion and integration of people with physical disabilities, interviews were conducted with 20 athletes in Athens: semi-structured interviews with 14 male and 6 female Paralympic and World Champions. The findings confirm that both genders confront many forms of social exclusion (attitudinal, environmental and institutional), however their sport participation plays a significant and positive role in their lives. All 20 acknowledge or report sport gives them a social identity, a sport identity and a meaning in life, in addition to contributing to their social integration/inclusion. Conclusions: The lack of disability awareness, information and knowledge accounts for many of the barriers. Recognizing both the social and biological dimensions of disability is important. The disability community needs visibility, i.e. coverage in mainstream media to cultivate inclusion, promote and reproduce role models and mentors, along with a wider disability awareness campaign, in which sport could play a vital role in changing stereotypes and attitudes, in addition to eliminating the supercrip identity.  Article visualizations

TOWARDS A GENDER-NEUTRAL INCLUSIVE INFORMATION SOCIETY: PRESERVING THE EUROPEAN MODEL IN THE INFORMATION AGE

The creation of “the bodiless society”– a gender-neutral society of services that is gradually replacing industrial society– is the result of accelerated technological developments in combination with the globalization of the economy. The products of this technological revolution are in reality services, a factor that has foundational consequences on society. The creation of thousands of specialized employment positions in the distribution and use of new technologies, whose hard nucleus is made up of specific knowledge and technological know-how is currently denied to the less-privileged gender subjects, the citizens who have particular difficulties in adapting and comprehending this transitional stage of the postmodernist period. Will our future society be a globalized technological ‘paradise’ of an abundance of information, products and services, achieved through the marginalization of the vulnerable gender subject, specifically that of non-mainstream social groups, and women in particular? The paper argues that policy measures at EU level, are needed to maintain a high level of gender-inclusion in the Information Society. In this context, the EU is examining the present state of affairs – mainstreaming and promoting equality — working towards establishing an action plan for a better integration of women and non-mainstream social groups in the Information Society. The crucial issue of equality in Information Society must be dealt with and confronted, not only as a question of how to increase the number of consumers or the production of goods and services, but rather as an opportunity for all citizens to become active agents or active members in society, regardless of gender, race, colour, religion, etc. To fight digital illiteracy and future social exclusions the paper suggests three areas of action: Firstly, educational reforms, notably, the institutionalization of mandatory ‘techno-education’: compulsory technological training as an integral part of the curricula of EU public schools, beginning from kindergarten and extending to vocational training. Secondly, international, inter-cultural interdisciplinary research must be progressively and systematically promoted. The new realities of a technological society must be clearly defined and described through interdisciplinary collaborations. We need to look into the present state of affairs before working towards establishing strategies and an action plan for the better integration of women and other vulnerable groups into Information Society. And thirdly, a techno-ethical code to ensure that Europe’s achievements in past are transposed into the Information Society and the virtual environment

EXPERIENCING THE MYTH: GREEKNESS AND THE GERMAN HERO

This article explores the influence that an unexpected athletic success can have on the construction of national identity while attempting to answer the question on how such a success can be used as a means to overcome national crises. Using a reflective analysis, this study examines the impact of the Euro 2004 Championship on Greece’s national identity, highlighting the correlation between two events associated with Greekness, to wit national pride and Hellenic identity in the sport, economic and social contexts. The first event was the unpredicted victory of the Greek football team in 2004, thanks to their German coach Otto Rehhagel, and the second Rehhagel’s visit to Athens in March 2013, in his informal role of political mediator, in an attempt to contribute to restoring Greek-German friendship which had been shattered during the country’s period of economic memorandums. This conceptual paper uses a qualitative discourse analysis to explain and understand human action through an examination of media texts and symbolic narratives: the headlines and narratives on the Euro 2004 victory in the Greek and foreign press and media, along with the slogans used by football fans after each victory, voicing the ‘superiority’ of Greekness

Social Capital Dimensions and Civil Society: Inclusive vs. Exclusionary Social Capital in Sport Governance

The growing body of research on social capital presents an ambiguity of definitions and a variety of interrelated meanings. On the one hand, social capital refers to associational life, the collective value of social networks, strategies and connections, broader identities, respect for ethnic, racial and gender diversity, the elimination of socioeconomic exclusions, civic engagement, etc. On the other hand, arguments suggest that social capital can reinforce ‘exclusive’ identities, homogeneous groups, social divides, gender classifications, ‘capitalization’, and egocentric bonding. Beginning with a critical exploration of the concept— theoretical origins and applications— the study examines the current usage, the neutral nature of social capital as a ‘producer’ of social cohesion, civic engagement, social action, and community service. Social capital, a core concept in sociology, political science, organizational behaviour and business, is relatively new in the context of European sport governance, sport management— and not only. This paper examines the social capital in sports, as a key component of understanding the relationship between European sport governing bodies (SGBs), and in particular the ‘inclusive’ vs. ‘exclusionary’ or rather ‘dark’ social capital in sport governance. Namely, the ‘leaky pipeline’ in competitive sports, the ‘glass ceiling’ in SGBs and the impact of commercialization. For example, women are still under-represented, and not only due to the socio-cultural causes associated with the chronological delay in eliminating barriers to inclusion. Today, women in the IOC still comprise a ‘restricted minority’: from a total of the 116 members only 12 are women (10,3%)

POLITICAL LEANINGS AND ATTITUDES OF PHYSICAL EDUCATION STUDENTS TOWARDS HOMOSEXUALITY

The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitudes of students of the School of Physical Education and Sports Science of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens towards homosexuality in relation to their political leanings. The sample consisted of 557 undergraduate students. The Greek version of Herek’s (1994) Attitudes towards Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) scale is used in this study with two factors, one for male homosexuality and one for female. The independent variables surveyed were gender, age, sexual orientation, and political leanings. A univariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) and post-hoc Scheffe test were used wherever it was needed, for the detection of significant statistical differences between the three levels of the political leaning factor. The analysis of the results showed that political leanings influence attitudes towards homosexuality: left-wing oriented students showing greater acceptance of homosexuality; right-wing students more negative attitudes; students oriented towards the center displaying more moderate attitudes, ranging between those of the right-wing and left-wing

Virtual Bodies and Sport Activities: The case of the Avatars in Second Life Fitness Club

Virtual environments (VE) are virtual social spaces that provide powerful means for creating, activating and modifying virtual bodies—Avatars—without dependencies on biological factors,formal rules and explicit conventions. VE offer unlimited possibilities to create the desired body and express personal bodily preference in virtual sport spaces without restrictions regarding established roles and behavioural expectations. Such a VE is Second Life (SL) in which the user is represented by an Avatar. This study focuses on a virtual sport space: the Fitness Club of Second Life. It examines the rules and regulations of this virtual space along with the role of 26 Avatars as bodily representations, including their bodily behaviours-exercises-practices in the SL Fitness Club. The data for this study was selected through systematic observation of 26 Avatars (apx. 180 hours) during March, April and May 2015, followed by detailed descriptions of single phenomena. Regarding the structure of space and bodily behavior, the results indicate less differences between sport virtual spaces and sport physical spaces, the opposite of what we had originally assumed. According to the results, the Avatar Fitness Club appears to be a highly individualistic and narcissistic environment. Moreover, every user can perform his/her bodily activities in a rather liberating way, occasionally surpassing biological limitations. When the Avatars exercise they imitate the movements of the physical sport world, namely they mimic the physical body. Further studies are needed to show the influence of an Avatar’s performance-bodily exercises on the real user, the individual behind the computer screen

The anachronistic gender-science imbalance: technophobia and the technological gender gap in Greece

Qualitative research conducted with specific focus groups in areas representative of Greece - urban, industrial and agricultural populations, confirms the gender impact factor on digital illiteracy. A large part of the population in Greek society today is displaying technophobia, women in particular, as is the case internationally. Gender-constrained attitudes against science and technology are formulated very early. The compatibility of private life and career is essentially a female problem, a factor that is clearly evident in the latest EU average employment quota for women which is marked by a decrease of 14.3 percent, in contrast to the 5.6 percent increase in the employment quota for men. The situation is even worse in the science and technology fields. Alarming are the results of the latest study of the EU-Commission ‘She Figures 2006’, according to which women remain a minority among researchers in the EU. The first part of the study is based on questionnaires, group interviews and discourse analyses with specific focus group: (1) female and male university students, (2) female students, and (3) primary and secondary male and female school teachers. In the second unity, social theories and theoretical approaches are used to examine the multivariable inclusive vs. exclusionary factors that result in the ‘leaky pipeline’ and the ‘glass ceiling’, namely the digital divide, the under-representation of women in science and technology. Although efforts are being made to attract women to the knowledge economy and IT professions, educational reforms alone will have very limited impact without the systematic promotion of inter and multidisciplinary research, international collaborations, interdisciplinarity in Education, the promotion of a gender-inclusive labor market that recruits and retains women as well as the establishment of a more flexible and family-friendly oriented working environmen

SPORTS: SOCIAL INCLUSION OR RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA?

ABSTRACT included in article. Additionally, 2007 conference presentation paper also attached