HomeDiscrimination, management and social movements in the sports world

Discrimination, management and social movements in the sports world

Discrimination, management and mouvements sociaux dans le monde sportif

International Journal of Sport Science and Physical Education

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Published on Thursday, September 01, 2022

Abstract

This special issue wishes to provide food for thought by bringing together relevant studies that aim to shed more light on the problem of discrimination. It aims to understand the ways in which this ‘field’ of professional and recreational sports operates and how it is implicated/characterized by racism and discrimination. How do the decision-making logics in sports organizations (leagues, clubs, public services, sports industries) produce (or challenge) discourses of discrimination, racism and glass ceilings, glass walls and/or sticky floors? What are the margins for minority ethnic (and majority) employees of the sports world (coaches, referees, selectors, sports agents, etc.) to maneuver, in particular those of a minority background who face discriminations?

Announcement

Directed by

  • Yamina Meziani (University of Bordeaux)
  • Jacco van Sterkenburg (Erasmus University Rotterdam)

Argument

Discrimination in the world of sports is increasingly becoming a public issue: the question of equal treatment of sportsmen and women and the fight against racism are being put on the political agenda of governments and international sports federations. Social movements such as "Blacks Lives Matter", which have been joined and promoted by top sportsmen and sportswomen, the interruption of matches such as the one recently played by PSG against Basaksehir, and top athletes speaking out against racism in the media, mark the intensity of the debate. There is a more global contestation around racism, but it is also taken up within the sports world. In recent years, the sports sector has highlighted the ways in which discrimination occurs on the basis of race and gender, in particular. In this politicized context, we see many initiatives by various actors (governments, sports federations, individuals, EU) to address discrimination and racism in the world of sports while racism at the same time continues to occur in different places.

This special issue wishes to provide food for thought by bringing together relevant studies that aim to shed more light on the problem of discrimination. It aims to understand the ways in which this ‘field’ of professional and recreational sports operates and how it is implicated/characterized by racism and discrimination. How do the decision-making logics in sports organizations (leagues, clubs, public services, sports industries) produce (or challenge) discourses of discrimination, racism and glass ceilings, glass walls and/or sticky floors? What are the margins for minority ethnic (and majority) employees of the sports world (coaches, referees, selectors, sports agents, etc.) to maneuver, in particular those of a minority background who face discriminations?

What about organizational changes in the framework of anti-discrimination training policies in sport structures? What types of diversity or equality promotion policies are developed in companies as a response to these problems?

A second theme we would like to cover in the special issue is the role of media and place of sportsmen and women in the social movements relating to the fight against all forms of racism and discrimination. How do athletes who stand up against discrimination feed the collective thought and which role do social and/or mainstream media play in processes of racialization in contemporary media-saturated contexts? These are questions we also like to address in the special issue? What different forms of reaction and mobilization in the private and media spheres of athletes can be identified in relation to this theme? How do media professionals or media audiences interpret such social movements or processes of racial stereotyping more generally?

This special issue intends to develop a comparative perspective of the states of affair with regard to racism, sexism and discrimination within the world of sport, both from an organizational perspective (e.g. associations, clubs, formalized sport leadership structures, media) and from the perspective of athlete activism and general audiences. Contributions can be empirical or theoretical in character, they can be case study based or involve internationally comparative discussions. 

This special issue intends to develop a comparative perspective of the states of affair with regard to racism, sexism and discrimination within the world of sport, both from an organizational perspective (e.g. associations, clubs, formalized sport leadership structures, media) and from the perspective of athlete activism and general audiences. Contributions can be empirical or theoretical in character, they can be case study based or involve internationally comparative discussions.

About the editors

Dr. Yamina Meziani works as Assistant Professor at the University of Bordeaux, researcher at the laboratory’LACES (The Cultures - Education - Societies Laboratory- EA 7437). She is specialized in the sociology of work, management and organizations. Her work focuses on the implementation of public policies on equality and diversity in Europe, and discrimination in sports in regard to race, gender and youth.

Dr. Jacco van Sterkenburg works as an Endowed Professor " 'Race', Inclusion and Communication, specifically in relation to Football and Media" in the Department of Media & Communication at Erasmus University. He is also a Visiting Research Fellow at Mulier Institute – a Dutch Sports research institute.  His main interests lie in the field of sports, football, and race and gender, with particular attention for football in media and football leadership.


Date(s)

  • Thursday, December 15, 2022

Keywords

  • discrimination, sport, social mouvement, communication, mouvement social

Contact(s)

  • Yamina Meziani
    courriel : yamina [dot] meziani [at] yahoo [dot] fr
  • Jacco van Sterkenburg
    courriel : sterkenburg [at] eshcc [dot] eur [dot] nl

Information source

  • Yamina Meziani
    courriel : yamina [dot] meziani [at] yahoo [dot] fr

License

CC0-1.0 This announcement is licensed under the terms of Creative Commons CC0 1.0 Universal.

To cite this announcement

« Discrimination, management and social movements in the sports world », Call for papers, Calenda, Published on Thursday, September 01, 2022, https://doi.org/10.58079/198q

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