Ever since different communities began processes of global migration, sport has been an integral feature in how we conceptualise and experience the notion of being part of a diaspora. Sport provides diasporic communities with a powerful means for creating transnational ties, but also shapes ideas of their ethnic and racial identities. In spite of this, theories of diaspora have been applied sparingly to sporting discourses. Despite W.G. Grace’s claim that cricket advances civilisation by promoting a common bond, binding together peoples of vastly different backgrounds, to this day cricket operates strict symbolic boundaries; defining those who do, and equally, do not belong. C.L.R. James’ now famous metaphor of looking ‘beyond the boundary’ captures the belief that, to fully understand the significance of cricket, and the sport’s roles in changing and shaping society, one must consider the wider social and political contexts within which the game is played. Contributions to this volume do just that. Cricket acts as their point of departure, but the way in which ideas of power, representation and inequality are ‘played out’ is unique in each. This book was published as a special issue of Identities.

This book investigates the declining status of cricket within contemporary British society after the high-water mark of England’s Ashes victory in 2005. It considers the deep roots of the game within British national life as well as its ever-changing nature, and reflects upon the current significance and relevance of a sport that many still perceive as deeply traditional and conservative in outlook. Adopting a socio-political approach, the book offers new perspectives on both the contemporary realities of modern cricket and the social, cultural and political condition of modern Britain. Rather than focusing on personality and the detail of match history, the book looks at how the sport has coped with wider societal changes, such as those in Afro-Caribbean and South Asian communities, and how this has demanded adaptation by cricket’s governing authorities. The book also considers the international context in which the game continues to develop and how the initiative with new formats such as Twenty20 has been lost to other cricketing nations, and it offers insight into the continued expansion and recent professionalization of the women’s game, hinting at ways in which cricket as a whole could recapture the public’s imagination. Cricket and Contemporary Society in Britain is an invaluable resource for those studying the sociology of sport, sport history, cultural studies, the politics of sport, cultural identity, sport management and sport development. It is also a fascinating read for anybody with an interest in cricket or in the value of sport in an era of rapid socio-economic, political and cultural change.

Sport and Nationalism: Theoretical Perspectives aims to advance the academic study of the interconnections between sport and nationalism by, firstly, reviewing the current ‘state of play’ in this field of study and, secondly, highlighting the potential for the development of future theoretically-informed analysis of the relationship between sport, nationalism and national identity. This book offers a critical appraisal of the utility of various theoretical concepts used to explore the nature of contemporary nationalism when applied to the specific topic of sport. Bringing together a range of contemporary academics in this field of study, it offers an opportunity to showcase contrasting theoretical positions on this topic. Furthermore, the central focus of the book regarding extended application of theories of nationalism to the field of sport provides an opportunity for novel and critical contributions to this field of study. This book will be beneficial to students, researchers and professionals with an interest in sport and in the relationship between sport, politics and nationalism. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

Sports in African History, Politics, and Identity Formation explores how sports can render a key to unlocking complex social, political, economic, and gendered relations across Africa and the Diaspora. Sports hold significant value and have an intricate relationship with many components of African societies throughout history. For many Africans, sports are a way of life, a site of cultural heroes, a way out of poverty and social mobility, and a site for leisurely play. This book focuses on the many ways in which sports uniquely reflect changing cultural trends at diverse levels of African societies. The contributors detail various sports, such as football, cricket, ping pong, and rugby, across the continent to show how sports lay at the heart of the discourse of nationalism, self-fashioning, gender and masculinity, leisure and play, challenges of underdevelopment, and ideas of progress. Bringing together the newest and most innovative scholarship on African sports, this book will be of interest to students and scholars of contemporary Africa, African history, culture and society, and sports history and politics.

Given sport’s centrality in English society, what role does it play in symbolising contemporary English national identity? This comprehensive study explores the complex set of relationships between sport and what it means to be English in the twenty-first century. The bond between sport and nationalism has long been recognised, but with increasingly vociferous separatist nationalisms threatening the dismantling of the United Kingdom, a closer analysis is timely. Part one addresses key debates regarding English national identity within the specific sporting contexts of association football, cricket, tennis, cycling and rugby. Part two discusses the complex relationship between religion, sport and English national identity as well as the attitudes and experiences of traditionally marginalized groups, including women, minority ethnic groups and disabled people. Part three considers the perspectives of the other UK nations on the link between sport and English national identity. Sport and English National Identity in a 'Disunited Kingdom' is fascinating reading for all those with an interest in the sociology, politics and history of sport, and the study of nations, nationalism and national identity.

This innovative and timely volume moves beyond existing operational and pragmatic approaches to events studies by exploring sports events as social, cultural, political and mediatised phenomena. As the study of this area is developing there is now a need for critical and theoretically informed debate regarding conceptualisation, significance and roles. This edited collection explores the core themes of consumption, media technologies, representation, identities and culture to offer new insight into how sports events contribute to generation of individual and shared meaning over personal, community and national identities as well as the associated issues of conflict, resistance and power. Chapters promote a critical (re)evaluation of emerging empirical research from a diverse range of sports events and locations from the international to local level. A multi-disciplinary approach is taken with contributions from areas including sports studies, media studies, sociology, cultural studies, communications, politics, tourism and gender studies. Written by leading academics in the area, this thorough exploration of the contested relationship between sports events, society and culture will be of interest to students, academics and researchers in Events, Sport, Tourism and Sociology.

′This third edition of Sport and Society, with contributions from some of the field’s most highly respected scholars, covers the myriad of complex, pervasive and global issues confronting sport in the 21st century. It continues to be a foundation text for students across most sport disciplines′ - Russel Hoye, La Trobe University, Australia ‘The third edition of Sport and Society reinforces its place as one of the most valuable texts for students and others engaging in social scientific study of sport. Overall, the book continues to achieve an unrivalled balance between different social science disciplines that have been applied to sport; between local, national and international issues; and between broad overviews and specific detail on every topic. The end result is a book that is "a must" on many academic reading lists!′ - Iain Lindsey, Durham University, UK Fully updated and revised, the Third Edition of Barrie Houlihan and Dominic Malcolm′s ground-breaking Sport and Society provides students and instructors with a one-stop text that is comprehensive, accessible, international, and engaging. This popular book: Approaches the study of sport from a multi-disciplinary perspective Presents the importance of social structure, power, and inequality in analysing the nature and significance of sport in society Addresses the rapid commercialization and regulation of sport Engages in comparative analysis to understand problems clearly and produce sound solutions Expands students′ knowledge through chapter summaries, guides to further reading, and extensive bibliographies Offers five new chapters addressing the key contemporary issues of: lifestyle sport; sport for development and peace; the governance of international sport organisations; sports fandom; and sport in East Asia. A superb teaching text, this new edition will be relished by instructors seeking an authoritative introduction to sport and society and students who want a relevant, enriching text for their learning and research needs.