Social inclusion is a pressing issue confronting all levels of sport today, and community sport in particular. Sport is being promoted as an inclusive environment in which people of all backgrounds and abilities can participate and access a range of social and health benefits. Moreover, sport is often heralded as a vehicle for promoting social inclusion in other societal domains. Yet, the policy ideal of ‘sport for all’ is not always realised in practice, and community sport continues to be plagued by various forms of discrimination and social exclusion. This book brings together a team of scholars from across the globe whose research addresses the complex relationship between community sport and social inclusion. Their contributions critically examine the dynamics of inclusion/exclusion in community sport, as well as the broader outcomes and impacts that sports programmes may have in promoting, or hindering, social inclusion in other areas of life, such as employment, education and migrant integration. This book will be of interest to academics, researchers, and advanced students of sport, sociology, politics, social work and public policy. The chapters in this book were originally published as a special issue of Sport in Society.

This book examines sport as an inclusive and developmental environment, exploring the conditions by which community sport initiatives can promote personal development, health and social cohesion, particularly for at-risk youth. At the empirical core of the book is a multiple disciplinary study of community sport programmes in Flanders, Belgium, involving researchers from social sport sciences, social work, pedagogy and health care sciences. Drawing on this cutting-edge, realist research, the book considers the implications for sport development policy and practice around the world. The book considers community sport as a vehicle for promoting social inclusion, and the ways it allows people of all backgrounds and abilities to participate and access social and health benefits, whilst touching on key issues including monitoring and evaluation; exercise and health; youth welfare, and volunteering. This book is a fascinating reading for any student, researcher or practitioner working in sport for development, sport management, sport coaching, social work, education, sociology or urban studies.

Social exclusion is one of the most pressing challenges in post-industrial societies, encompassing economic, social, cultural and political dimensions. This important new book critically examines the relationship between sport and social exclusion, from global and cross-cultural perspectives. The book analyses sport and social exclusion by focusing on three key questions: How does social exclusion affect participation in sport? How is social exclusion (re)produced, experienced, resisted, and managed in sport? How is sport used to combat social exclusion and promote social inclusion in other life domains? To answer these questions, the authors discuss and critically reflect on existing knowledge and in-depth case studies from Europe, Australasia, Africa and Latin America. The book illuminates the relationship between sport and social exclusion in Global North and Global South contexts, addressing key issues in contemporary social science such as social inequality, worklessness, gender, disability, forced migration, homelessness and mental health. Sport and Social Exclusion in Global Society is important reading for all students, researchers and policy-makers with an interest in sport sociology, sport development, sport management, or the relationship between sport and wider society.

Sport is perceived to have the potential to alleviate a variety of social problems and generally to ‘improve’ both individuals and the communities in which they live. Sport is promoted as a relatively cost effective antidote to a range of social problems – often those stemming from social exclusion - including poor health, high crime levels, drug abuse and persistent youth offending, educational under-achievement, lack of social cohesion and community identity and economic decline. To this end, there is increasing governmental interest in what has become known as ‘sport for good’. A Wider Social Role for Sport presents the political and historical context for this increased government interest in sport’s potential contribution to a range of social problems. The book explores the particular social problems that governments seek to address through sport, and examines the nature and extent of the evidence for sport’s positive role. It illustrates that, in an era of evidence-based policy-making, the cumulative evidence base for many of these claims is relatively weak, in part because such research is faced with substantial methodological problems in isolating the precise contribution of sport in many contexts. Drawing on worldwide research, A Wider Social Role for Sport explores the current state of knowledge and understanding of the presumed impacts of sport and suggests that we need to adopt a different approach to research and evaluation if sports researchers are to develop their understanding and make a substantial contribution to sports policy..

"Research Centre for Sport in Canadian Society, University of Ottawa."

This work possesses the singular importance for the understanding of the fundamental and principle concepts of social inclusion. The institution, FAMFS - Fundação de Apoio ao Cidadão e Mobilização Social, situated in Feira Santana, in the state of Bahia, Brazil, was chosen as the -case study-. The results of this work filled important gaps in related studies to social inclusion associated with the provision of sports and other parallel actions. This is an interesting ethnographic study with documentary analysis, filled with interviews that punctuate the perception of results through the experiences of those involved. This work has made an effective contribution to the debate on the indispensable use of knowledge about public policies and their relation with the Third Sector. It presents a worthwhile investigative process which has resulted in a rich source of content for researchers, public managers and social agents who want to use sport as an instrument to promote social inclusion. Prof. Dr. André Luiz Teixeira Reis Associate Professor I School of Physical Education University of Brasilia - Brazil This book is a true moment of joy and recognition, offering society inspiring learning that motivates us to transform everything contained in this work into actions, in practices to offer our contributions, seeking humanity with more equality in offering opportunities, since, from there, everyone will be able to develop their potential and allow others what was offered to them. Easy to understand, but deepening in the theme, "Sport and Social Inclusion in contexts of vulnerability: an ethnographic approach", makes us reflect on the role that every citizen must assume to enable similar opportunities for individuals to be able to develop their potentialities, and more, that they also become agents of change, offering the same chances to others. At the moment that we are going through a pandemic that severely widens inequalities, this work arrives in time to inspire and instigate the reader for an activity that will be a differential element in overcoming this sad period. Prof. Dr. Paulo Henrique Azevêdo Associate Professor IV School of Physical Education Research Laboratory on Sport Management - GESPORTE University of Brasilia - Brazil

Structured around key excluded groups, such as the elderly, ethnic minorities, the disabled and rural communities, this book offers an assessment of sports policy in contemporary Britain.