The Sport and Politics Research International Network (SPRING) invites submissions for its fourth international conference, to be hosted at the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, University of Galway on 1–2 July 2027. This conference will examine the dynamic interplay between sport and identity across regional, national, and global contexts.
In an era marked by intensified globalization, geopolitical tensions, and shifting cultural boundaries, sport remains a powerful site for the construction, negotiation, and contestation of identities. From local sporting traditions to global mega-events, sport both reflects and shapes political, social, and cultural processes. This conference seeks to foster interdisciplinary dialogue on how identities have been and are produced, represented, and challenged through sport, both historically and in the contemporary context.
We welcome contributions from scholars across disciplines, including (but not limited to) media and communication studies, film studies, sociology, political science, history, anthropology, and cultural studies.
Indicative subthemes include:
- Sport and the construction of national identity
- Regionalism, locality, and sub-national sporting cultures
- Globalization, governance, and transnational sport
- Migration, diaspora, and transnational fandom
- Mega-events and the politics of identity
- Sport, nationalism, and geopolitical conflict
- Race, gender, and intersectional identities in sport
- Media, digital platforms, and global sport narratives
- Film, MediaSport, and the representation of sporting identities
- Commercialization, branding, and identity formation
- Postcolonial and decolonial perspectives on sport
- Sport and the Environment: Responding to the new realities for international competition, participation, fandom, and finance.
Submission Guidelines
Key Dates
Abstract submission deadline: December 1 2026
Notification of acceptance: January 30 2027
Conference dates: 1–2 July 2027
Conference Format:
The conference will be held in person at the Huston School of Film & Digital Media, University of Galway and will include keynote lectures, themed panels, and networking opportunities.
Submission Process
Please submit abstracts (250-300 words) and bios (100 words) before December 1 2026 to springsportnet@gmail.com. Submissions must include paper title, author(s), institutional affiliation, and contact details. Panel proposals (3–4 papers) are also welcome and should include a panel summary with abstracts and bios for each paper.
For further information, please contact: springsportnet@gmail.com
