News Archive
2011
Two panels have been accept for the PSA Annual International Conference, Belfast, 3-5 April 2012. These panels are on 'Sport in Ireland: past and present' and 'Sport, conflict and social change'.
A one-off symposium was held on 16 December at the University of Brighton on Sport and the Big Society.
The group's 6th annual conference is to take place at Southampton Solent University on 24 February 2012.
The Group's 5th annual conference took place at the University of Birmingham on 18 March 2011. The theme was 'Sport under pressure: the sustainability of sport in times of austerity'.
A facebook page has been established. Search for PSA Sport and Politics Study Group.
A special issue from the group's inaugural conference has been published in Sport and Society. The theme is 'The politics of sport: community, mobility, identity'.This has also been re-published in book form by Taylor & Francis.
2010
The group co-sponsored a one-day conference at the University of Birmingham - Fit for London, 2012? An assessment of UK sport policy in comparative contexts.
The group agreed a constitution and officers for a period of 3 years. These are Jonathan Grix (chair), Russell Holden (treasurer), Paul Gilchrist (secretary), Barrie Houlihan (officer).
The group hosted a panel on critical issues in sporting governance at the Political Studies Association annual conference, Edinburgh, on 1 April 2010.
Leeds Metropolitan University hosted the group's 4th annual conference on 'Critiquing sport: theory and practice' on 26 February 2010. Conference report available here.
2009
Members of the group presented a special panel at the Political Studies Association of Ireland annual conference, hosted at Liverpool Hope University on 9-10 October 2009.
The group hosted a panel on 'the governance and regulation of sport' at the PSA annual conference, Manchester, in April 2009. Papers included: Prof Barrie Houlihan (Loughborough) 'Modernisation and sport: the reform of sport', Dr Russell Holden (In the Zone), 'New Labour and the celebration of sporting achievement', and Dr Michael Silk (Bath) 'The biggest loser: the discursive construction of fatness'.
The group held its 3rd annual conference at Birkbeck College, London, 20-21 February 2009. The theme of the conference was 'The governance and regulation of sport'. Full conference report.
2008
The group co-sponsorsed the 'Popular culture and (world) politics' workshop at the University of Bristol, 11-12 September 2008. Download the programme.
The group held its 2nd annual conference at Liverpool Hope University on 15th February 2008. Click here for more details.
The group hosted a panel on 'Sporting governance and investment opportunity' at the PSA annual conference on 1 April 2008, Swansea University. Click here for the report.
A new journal is being launched which should be of interest to sport politicians: The International Journal of Sport Policy. This is edited by Barrie Houlihan (Loughborough University) and Andy Smith and Daniel Bloyce (University of Chester), all of whom have been active with the group since its inception.
2007
Publication. A special issue of the Taylor & Francis journal Sport in Society is to appear in February 2011 with contributions from the Group's inaugural conference. The title is: 'The politics of sport: community, mobility and identity'.
The group held its inaugural conference in February 2007.
Photo (Left to right: Robert Croft (Cricketer, Glamorgan and ex-England) Matthew Engel (Editor of Wisden), Russell Holden (Group convenor)).
The report of the inaugural conference has been published on Sports Forum Idrottsforum [The Nordic Sport Science web journal] and is featured in the Political Studies Association newsletter.