Excellent collection of essays that contributes to a well-explored field

Steph Doehler
Open University, UK

Athlete Activism (2021), a recent addition to Routledge’s Research in Sport, Culture, and Society series, examines the phenomenon of the topic across all levels of sport, from elite and international to semi-professional and collegiate. Athlete activism has become a burgeoning field of academic interest in recent years, so one could be forgiven for wondering what else could be written on the subject. However, editor Rory Magrath has gathered contributions from a variety of scholars around the globe, presenting a series of fascinating case studies, covering a wide range of sports, and shedding light on some of the most important themes in the study of sport in the twenty-first century. In addition, it examines the motivations for activism, the financial ramifications, fan narratives, and the psychological effects of activism.

Writing this review the day following the conclusion of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, the debate into activism continues to rage at an exponentiate rate. Despite declarations prior to the global footballing event, and indeed throughout, that sport and politics do not, or should not, mix, it appears that now more than ever the contrary is true. Therefore, this work is suggested reading for anyone interested in the politics of sport, social protest, or the sociology of sport. Notably, the book is available as an open-access resource; consequently, this reviewer encourages those interested in the topic to download a copy and invest attention to its broad spectrum of chapters.

Although this reviewer progressed chronologically, it is possible to browse individual chapters that pique the reader’s interest without feeling as though a unified narrative is being presented.

Interestingly, or somewhat predictably, the 17 chapters are geographically confined to specific areas of the globe. Only two of the 28 contributors to the book are situated outside of either the USA, UK or Australia. This is something that the editor himself concedes in the preface when he writes, “This is not to deny the significance of activism in the Global South and beyond,” (2), however uses the get-out clause of it being “beyond the scope of this analysis” (3) to cover such topics. This is unfortunate and appears to be a missed opportunity in a book that takes clear pride in its broad scope. Nevertheless, the breadth of issues covered gives the reader with a wide focus, albeit in an arguably narrow geographical context.

Due to the variety of topics addressed, subsequent remarks on individual chapters are concise and are, in places, grouped together. The book begins with an obvious starting point in Chapter 1 which outlines how athletes have used the Olympic Games to engage in activism, in an essay which appreciates both historic and more contemporary examples. The second and third chapters cover the relatively under-explored areas of activism among US high school and college athletes, respectively. The fourth chapter discusses the financial repercussions of activist behaviour, using the well-known cases of Colin Kaepernick and Gwen Berry as illustrations. Chapter 5 provides a timely analysis on the changing face of Black activists through history. The sixth chapter examines the most recent developments in para-athlete activism, as well as their positive effects on parasport.

Chapter 7 offers perhaps the most provocative essay in the collection where authors use a theological approach to address disability sport activism. Depending on one’s religious perspectives, this chapter could make uncomfortable reading for some. However, this isn’t a direct criticism, after all, the need for activism largely stems from oppression and challenging perspectives. The eighth chapter examines trans-exclusionary narratives in sport activism. A timely topic that was recently covered on this very website to an assumedly divergent response. Sadly the recent passing of rugby player, Doodie Weir, makes Chapter 9 a poignant read since it discusses Weir’s efforts to raise awareness about Motor Neurone Disease. The tenth chapter provides a fascinating look at how Spanish women footballers took action to demand better conditions and compensation. Given the notoriety surrounding the US women’s team’s pursuit of equality over the recent years, this approach may gain traction in women’s sport and academia in the future. The subject of Chapters 11 and 12 is activism through clothing, first within the lens of Islam and subsequently through Serena Williams’ use of fashion to confront repressive structures in tennis.

The thirteenth chapter evaluates the fan reaction to Megan Rapinoe’s well-documented feud with the then-president of the US, Donald Trump, in a discussion mostly centred on patriotism. Chapter 14 examines race-centred activism through the prism of Australian sport, notably Adam Goodes. This provides a particularly interesting read given the propensity to address this topic from an American perspective. Chapter 15 continues the theme of race when evaluating English footballer Raheem Sterling’s use of social media to tackle racism in sport. The penultimate chapter employs an innovative, collaborative strategy in which the reader hears directly from professional golfer and co-author Meghan MacLaren on activism. Finally, Chapter 17 explores the psychological impact of activism, concluding that it affords athletes a unique opportunity to enhance their performance through the development of mental toughness and other aspects essential for high performance, though this has yet to be empirically tested.

After covering such a wide range of themes, it would have been nice if the book concluded with an afterword to complete the collection. However, this is a minor critique of a thoroughly entertaining and insightful publication. At 206 pages, it is never burdensome to read, especially given the relatively brief word counts of each essay. Although this reviewer progressed chronologically, it is possible to browse individual chapters that pique the reader’s interest without feeling as though a unified narrative is being presented. Overall, any academic with even a passing interest in athlete activism should read this book. While there is a lack of regional diversity, this collection expands upon existing knowledge of the subject while leaving the door open for a future edition which, ironically, may be more inclusive.

Copyright | Steph Doehler 2023