Call for Authors: Olympic Studies Reader 2013, Volume 2, An International and Multidisciplinary Research Guide

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olympic-studiesCALL FOR AUTHORS

Olympic Studies Reader 2013, Volume 2, An International and Multidisciplinary Research Guide – Special homage to Pierre de Coubertin’s 150th Birthday 

What is the book about?

This book is about Olympic Studies, an area of knowledge still little studied especially because of the difficulties in understanding cross-cultural sport experiences, among other pitfalls of international sport relationships. However, this status has been changing especially because of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the London 2012 Olympic Games, and the forthcoming 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games, which are becoming landmarks for the multicultural meaning of sport. It is also important to mention that the experience of the Research Council / Selection Committee – IOC Olympic Studies, Lausanne, in recent years has frequently confirmed the key importance of both multidisciplinary and international relationships approaches to research themes related to Olympic Games, Olympism and the Olympic Movement.

In this context, the Beijing Sport University together with Universidade Gama Filho (Rio de Janeiro) and with the support of the IOC Olympic Studies Centre (Lausanne) published in 2009 the first volume of the “Olympic Studies Reader”, with the main focus on the multicultural meaning of sport as historically promoted by the Olympic Movement, which implies sharing the diversity of values from Olympic proposals and ideas. Texts with the multidisciplinary approach of Olympic Studies complete the content of that first volume, preserving so far the traditions of this area of knowledge. This first volume is available for download on the following link: http://www.sportsinbrazil.com.br/livros_studies_reader.htm

The second volume of “Olympic Studies Reader” is therefore being proposed to focus on internationalism, one of the key priorities of Pierre de Coubertin during his efforts to restore the Olympic Games and to delineate the principles of Olympism at the beginning of 20th century. Simply defined, Coubertin’s internationalism was the policy or practice of cooperation among nations, especially in Olympic modern matters. Again, multidisciplinary texts will be welcome for its complementary nature in the approaches to internationalism.

Volume two of the book “Olympic Studies Reader” (main title) has basically two aims: (i) to include chapters – individually or collectively elaborated –  which sustain positions of knowledge referring to typical themes in the areas of Olympic Games, Olympism and Olympic Movement, and (ii) to address suggestions and propose guidelines to develop future research works in Olympic Studies. Thus far, the main purpose of this new publication is to provide graduate students and academic professionals (with Master’s and recent Ph.D. degrees), from different countries, who are interested in investigating ancient and new Olympic issues, with basic knowledge and insights for future research in the area.

Looking Ahead 

The format guidelines for the production of the second volume of “Olympic Studies Reader” are firstly inspired by:

  • Mainstream multidisciplinary research topics in Olympic Studies as seen, for instance, in the collective book inaugurated by Landry, Landry & Yerles (1991) and in the first volume of the Olympic Studies Reader (2009) as well;
  • Recent research topics in sport sciences emphasizing internationalism and multiculturalism as seen in regional and national books and articles connected in some way to Olympic Studies.

Furthermore, the mainstream option is concerned with the consolidation of the last two decades of Olympic Studies in worldwide perspective. The international and multicultural alternatives aim to provide opportunities of inclusion as referred to authors and topics from countries and cultures other than Western European and English-speaking countries.

This criterion of development is based on the operational experience of the Research Council / Selection Committee – IOC Olympic Studies Centre in assessing research projects since its beginning in 1998. Thus, the planned book will stand as a unique reference to prospect researchers in traditional and new Olympic Studies concerns. As such, this collective work with international contributors shall equally act as an inspiring support to renovate research in Olympic Studies from different cultural perspectives worldwide. From the Olympic Family inside standpoint, this project also aims to promote the role played by Olympic Studies, which need more exposure and clarification.

Content and Title

For the production of the “Olympic Studies Reader – volume two” former published works can be reviewed according to a specific topic or area of knowledge. Additionally, subject-matters of research may be emphasized jointly with an overview of past, present and future choices of investigation. References to Coubertin’s will be welcome in any case of collaborations.

In short, the prospect book should be mostly a platform of basic texts in Olympic issues instead of a simple methodological guide for researchers. A subtitle related to this preliminary choice can be added during the editorial preparation, in view of the needed connection with the promotion of research in Olympic Studies. The provisional subtitle is “A Research Guide of International Developments.” 

Editors

The “Olympic Studies Reader” editorial staff will be composed by Hai Ren (Ph.D., Beijing Sport University), Lamartine DaCosta (Ph.D., Universidade Gama Filho – Rio de Janeiro), Ana Miragaya (Ph.D., Universidade Estácio de Sá – Petrópolis) for the English version, and Ms Zhao Zhuo (Beijing), for the Chinese version.

This assignment is here proposed in order to meet the following opportunities:

  1. As it is a project under the leadership of the Beijing Sport University, the new book will be inserted in today’s major issue of attention in Olympic area of activities, that is, the Beijing Olympic Games – 2008 as well as Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games – 2016;
  2. DaCosta and Miragaya have been continuously working on scientific and collective books since 1998 at the Universidade Gama Filho Publishing House. Four of these volumes were published in English, one of which with 87 authors from 36 countries of the four continents, launched by Meyer & Meyer Publishers from Germany (see reference below). This experience can be now used in the planning of the “Olympic Studies Reader.”
  3. The “Olympic Studies Reader” volume two book project is now envisaged to follow suit the potential Olympic new era beginning with the Beijing Games, giving a refreshment drive to the issues of multiculturalism and internationalism. The editorial staff with Chinese and Brazilian participants has been proposed as a renewed identity to Olympic Studies research needs. This proposal is likely to refer to the visual programming of the new book, which must necessarily include meaningful Chinese motifs.
  4. The women scholars also direct the attention to gender equality, a critical need of the Olympic Movement and of sport management in worldwide concerns.

Languages

The “Olympic Studies Reader” volume two will be published in English (main current language in Olympic Studies) and in Chinese (an important language for the future Olympic Studies texts and research) jointly in a single volume. All complete texts in English will have a long summary in Chinese (two pages) and a complete English version shall be added to all texts originally written in Chinese.

As mentioned earlier, the two female scholars/researchers will give support to the main editors and this participation in operational terms is basically related to translations of English into Chinese and vice-versa, besides the search for coherence, according to the contents of the chapters. Dr. Hai Ren will follow up the Chinese editor’s work and Dr. DaCosta will do the same with the English-speaking editor for overall coherence. Dr. Miragaya will adapt English texts to a more comprehensive understanding to readers from different cultures in accordance with authors. 

Length of writings

Each page of paper to be previously submitted must have 3.000 characters including spaces in the text, or the equivalent in Chinese language. The full text of each contribution shall have approximately 10 pages, references included, but final size with or without photos and figures will be examined case by case.

Authors’ submissions 

Prospect authors may submit their text in Chinese or English to Dr. Hai Ren or in English to Dr. DaCosta (see e-mail addresses below). This short text must represent the study or investigation report, preferably taking into account the need of having a basis for an additional overview related to current state of knowledge, research mainstream and future advances in the chosen area.

Publishing Profile

The “Olympic Studies Reader” is a non-commercial book for free distribution or access in e-book format. As such, authors are here advised that the book “Olympic Studies Reader” is non-profit work, with no financial relationship between institutions or individuals involved in its production and circulation. Thus, this book in its different formats does not yield copyrights, according to international conventions.

Institutional support

The book “Olympic Studies Reader” will have as main supportive institutions the Beijing Sport University, Editora Gama Filho Publishers (Rio de Janeiro) and the IOC Olympic Studies Centre (Lausanne). There will be no financial obligations linking these organizational bodies, due to the decentralized and autonomous tasks specified to each of the partnership members. Furthermore, the planned book may be printed or displayed on demand with free and no cost accesses, eliminating the need of a joint management to be made by original partners.

Summary Master Schedule – 2013

July 30th, 2013  –  deadline for authors to submit their texts
July 2013 / November 2013 – Translation of texts, visual programming and preparation of formats.
December 2013 – Launching of the book. 

Contact addresses 

Dr. Hai Ren: hairenbj@163.net
Dr. Lamartine DaCosta: lamartine@terra.com.br

References

  • Ren, H., DaCosta, L.P., Miragaya, A. & Jing, N. (eds) Olympic Studies Reader Volume 1. Beijing: Beijing Sport University, 2009.
  • DaCosta, L.P. & Miragaya, A.M. (eds) Worldwide Experiences and Trends of Sport for All. Aachen: Meyer & Meyer Sports, 2002. 

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