Sport, Space, and the City

Author: John Bale
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 9780415080989
Category : Political Science
Languages : en
Pages : 211

Book Description
John Bale highlights the changing nature of 'football space', the growing rationalization and modernization of the British football landscape and the impact of football on the urban environment. Initially played in open spaces, football now takes place in highly enclosed, confined spaces. Employing the ideas of cultural theorists and geographers, the author explores the gradual territorialization of football. Traditional football landscapes have helped to create a sense of place-pride for many fans; for many local citizens, however, the stadium and the game remain a source of annoyance or fear. New economic demands are increasing the pressure on many clubs to relocate and to situate the stadium within the more lucrative structure of suburban leisure complexes. Fans are markedly less keen than developers on such a move. With the prospect of the loss of a sense of place the simple enjoyment of the game has been transformed into political activism. The cultural distinctiveness of the British football environment is emphasized, though the British situation is contrasted with that in North America and other parts of Europe.

Sport and Urban Space in Europe

Author: Thierry Terret
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317435729
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 181

Book Description
Filling a gap in the literature on the history of sport in Europe, the book brings together complementary studies on diverse aspects of the interrelation between sport and urban space. Going from geography to political science, from sports history to urban and transport history, it suggests a three-fold approach. A first thematic group of researches ranges around "Sport Development and Urban Spaces", exploring the impact of the city on the rise of sport. A second focal point is related to "Sport Policies and Local Identities" with a special attention given to the making of sport venues and competitions in the making of urban identity. A third thematic group includes studies on "Sport Facilities, Engineers and Workers". The articulation of the three parts builds a unique contribution to the process of identity making at a European level. This book was published a sa special issue of the International Journal of the History of Sport.

Critical Geographies of Sport

Author: Natalie Koch
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1317404297
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 259

Book Description
Sport is a geographic phenomenon. The physical and organizational infrastructure of sport occupies a prominent place in our society. This important book takes an explicitly spatial approach to sport, bringing together research in geography, sport studies and related disciplines to articulate a critical approach to ‘sports geography’. Critical Geographies of Sport illustrates this approach by engaging directly with a variety of theoretical traditions as well as the latest research methods. Each chapter showcases the merits of a geographic approach to the study of sport – ranging from football to running, horseracing and professional wrestling. Including cases from Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Europe and the Americas, the book highlights the ways that space and power are produced through sport and its concomitant infrastructures, agencies and networks. Holding these power relations at the center of its analysis, it considers sport as a unique lens onto our understanding of space. Truly global in its perspective, it is fascinating reading for any student or scholar with an interest in sport and politics, sport and society, or human geography.

Stadium and the City

Author: Bale John Bale
Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
ISBN: 1474464114
Category : Sports facilities
Languages : en
Pages : 352

Book Description
This well-illustrated book is the first to explore the stadium as the principal container of the modern urban crowd and a place where thousands of people gather to take part in what often appears to be modern 'religious' rituals. Is the stadium a prison, a garden or a theatre? Do new stadiums contribute economically to the places in which they are built? Drawing on examples from Europe, North America and China, this book ranges from historical studies of stadium growth to current reviews of stadium development, exposing the stadium as a major element of the modern urban scene.

Sport, Recreation and Green Space in the European City

Author: Peter Clark
Publisher: Suomalaisen Kirjallisuuden Seura
ISBN: 9522227919
Category : Technology & Engineering
Languages : en
Pages : 220

Book Description
Green space has become a major issue in European cities in recent years as a result of enhanced environmental awareness, urban marketing, planning policy and growing population densities. Up to now, however, the subject of sports areas and grounds has attracted little research, despite the fact that since the First World War such public and private areas – from football pitches and running tracks to golf courses and tennis courts – have often comprised one of the most important and extensive types of green space in the European city. This book presents a pioneering comparative and multidisciplinary analysis of the development, use and impact of sports areas in the European city from the start of the 20th century up to the present time. Employing a range of historical, spatial and ecological approaches it examines when and why sports areas evolved, the contribution of municipalities and the private sector, the role of gender and class, and the impact on the urban landscape and ecology. Chapters cover urban sports areas in Finland, Britain, the Netherlands, Germany and Italy, illustrating the contrasts in the provision of green space across Europe.

Sites of Sport

Author: Patricia Anne Vertinsky
Publisher: Psychology Press
ISBN: 0714682810
Category : Comportement spatial
Languages : en
Pages : 281

Book Description
This collection uses spatial concepts and examples to examine the nature and development of sporting practices. It shows how the study of built environments such as gymnasiums and football stadiums can provide unique information about the body.

Sport in the City

Author: Chris Gratton
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 113454443X
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 335

Book Description
This book covers the significance of sport in economic, cultural and political terms. It discusses the theory and practice of sports related policy for urban development.

Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East

Author: Danyel Reiche
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1000567931
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 470

Book Description
This Handbook provides a succinct overview of sport in the Middle East, drawing in scholars from a wide variety of geographical and disciplinary backgrounds (history, politics, sociology, economics and regional studies), with different methodological approaches, to create the ‘go-to’ text on the subject. After the introduction, 33 chapters from leading subject experts cover areas including history, politics, society, economy and nationhood. The authors help shed light on how certain Middle Eastern countries have become increasingly active in international sports, and the efforts made to positioning themselves as the new global ‘sports hubs’. Split into five sections, the book offers a multi-disciplinary analysis of a diverse range of sports across the geographic Middle East, including football, mixed martial arts, rugby, athletics and cycling. The authors highlight and respond to issues such as the naturalisation of athletes, female athleticism, sports media and supporter cultures. The Routledge Handbook of Sport in the Middle East stands apart from previous research through offering first-hand accounts of sport in the area from authors who live and work in the region or have a history of regularly visiting and conducting research in the region. It will be of interest to academics and students alike, in the fields of Middle East politics, sport, sport in the Middle East, international relations, governance and sociology.

Sporting Dystopias

Author: Ralph C. Wilcox
Publisher: State University of New York Press
ISBN: 0791487091
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 299

Book Description
Reaching beyond the popular celebration of commercial gains often associated with the proliferation of stadiums, events, and teams in the city, Sporting Dystopias explores the role of sport in the process of community building. Scholars from various fields, including anthropology, cultural studies, history, marketing, media studies, and sociology, examine the cultural, economic, and political interplay of sport and the city. The book systematically challenges the overwhelming claims of sport's benefit to the city as it scrutinizes the various tensions inherent in the relationship. Grounded in economic means, racial and ethnic affiliation, and the contestation for space, sport is seen as precipitating a broad range of human challenges.

Events and Urban Regeneration

Author: Andrew Smith
Publisher: Routledge
ISBN: 1136488588
Category : Business & Economics
Languages : en
Pages : 317

Book Description
In recent years, major sporting and cultural events such as the Olympic Games have emerged as significant elements of public policy, particularly in efforts to achieve urban regeneration. As well as opportunities arising from new venues, these events are viewed as a way of stimulating investment, gaining civic engagement and publicizing progress to assist the urban regeneration process more generally. However, the pursuit of regeneration involving events is a practice that is poorly understood, controversial and risky. Events and Urban Regeneration is the first book dedicated to the use of events in regeneration. It explores the relationship between events and regeneration by analyzing a range of cities and a range of sporting and cultural events projects. It considers various theoretical perspectives to provide insight into why major events are important to contemporary cites. It examines the different ways that events can assist regeneration, as well as problems and issues associated with this unconventional form of public policy. It identifies key issues faced by those tasked with using events to assist regeneration and suggests how practices could be improved in the future. The book adopts a multi-disciplinary perspective, drawing together ideas from the geography, urban planning and tourism literatures, as well as from the emerging events and regeneration fields. It illustrates arguments with a range of international case studies placed within and at the end of chapters to show positive outcomes that have been achieved and examples of high profile failures. This timely book is essential reading for students and practitioners who are interested in events, urban planning, urban geography and tourism.