Sociology for Physical Education and Sports Coaching

This book introduces the fundamentals of sport sociology and social issues in sport for students of physical education (PE) and coaching. It provides an accessible, jargon-free foundation for understanding the relationships between sport, education, and wider society that puts into context the reader’s applied studies in PE and coaching.

Drawing on cutting-edge research, this book examines core topics in the study of sport and society, including the origins of sport, sport education, sport as business, commodification, globalisation, sport and health, sport and the media, gender, migration, and Indigenous people in sport. Throughout this book, in-depth ’commentary’ pieces look closely at particular pieces of research that illustrate the sociological themes being examined, from the impact of sport media on school children to the effects of hegemonic masculinity in rugby.

This book is invaluable reading for any course on sport and society, physical education, sports coaching, or sport development.

Richard L Light is Professor Emeritus at the University of Canterbury, New Zealand, and at The University of Sydney, Australia where he teaches in physical education pedagogy and sport sociology. He is also Adjunct Professor at the University of Technology Sydney and Southern Cross University, and Visiting Professor at Waseda University, Japan. He is an international leader in research on, and the development of, athlete and student-centred coaching and teaching in which he situates learning within larger cultural and institutional contexts.

Steve Georgakis teaches at the University of Sydney, Australia, in the pre-service physical education teacher education program. His doctoral study was in the history of sport, but over the last two decades he has focused on teaching, and research on Game Sense and other student-centred, inquiry-based approaches to teaching physical education and coaching sport. He also teaches sport sociology.