Tag: Jules Boykoff

There is much going on behind the scenes at the Olympics that is deeply troubling: athletes are increasingly voicing concerns over physical, mental, and sexual abuse, and they are collectively expressing grievances around equity and human rights. This is brought to the fore in Jules Boykoff’s latest book, a slim volume entitled What are the Olympics for? (Bristol University Press). Björn Sandahl liked what he read, and although little was presented that was news to him he recommends it as an excellent introduction to the Olympics, and not only for students – for all

In the modern era, mere bids to host the Games have sparked fierce opposition from groups motivated by local or global concerns. According to our reviewer Russell Holden, Russell Field’s edited collection Winters of Discontent: The Winter Olympics and a Half Century of Protest and Resistance (Illinois University Press), offers a valuable and long overdue insight into a surprisingly neglected area of sport history, which extends far beyond the niche status that has all too often been accorded to this significant sports gathering.

SSJ publishes original research, framed by social theory, on exercise, sport, physical culture, and the (physically active) body. The journal publishes peer-reviewed empirical, theoretical, and position papers; book reviews; and critical essays. The Forum Editor’s pick from the current issue: Better to Have Played Than Not Played? Childhood Sport Participation, Dropout Frequencies and Reasons, and Mental Health in Adulthood by Laura Upenieks, Brendan Ryan, Chris Knoester

C&S is a cutting-edge peer-reviewed quarterly that publishes research to foster international scholarly understanding of the nexus of communication and sport that engages a broad intellectual community. The Forum Editor’s pick from the current issue: Covering the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as the Recovery Olympics After Fukushima by Yasuhito Abe (open access).

In his new book The 1936 Berlin Olympics: Race, Power, and Sportswashing (Common Ground), Jukes Boykoff situates Hitler’s Olympics in the longer political history of the Games and examines the behind-the-scenes machinations that led to the International Olympic Committee handing these Games to Germany in the first place. Martin Friis Andersen is our reviewer, and he finds Boykoff’s analyses enlightening and he appreciates his provocative style.

Athlete Activism: Contemporary Perspectives, edited by Rory Magrath (Routledge) examines the phenomenon of athlete activism across all levels of sport, from elite and international sport, to collegiate and semi-pro, and asks what this tells us about the relationship between sport and wider society. Our reviewer Steph Doehler finds that the collection, albeit less international than proclaimed, still expands knowledge in the field – besides being both insightful and thoroughly entertaining.

SSJ publishes original research, framed by social theory, on exercise, sport, physical culture, and the (physically active) body. The journal publishes peer-reviewed empirical, theoretical, and position papers; book reviews; and critical essays. The Forum Editor’s pick from the current issue: Toward a Theory of Sportswashing: Mega-Events, Soft Power, and Political Conflict by Jules Boykoff (open access)

JSSI brings you the latest research, discussion and analysis on contemporary sport issues. In JSSI scholars study the impact of sport on social issues from many perspectives. The Forum Editor’s pick from the current issue: “Pretty Disgusted Honestly”: Exploring Fans’ Affective Responses on Facebook to the Modified Rules of Australian Football League Women’s by Adele Pavlidis, Kim Toffoletti, and Kellie Sanders.

While the Tokyo Olympics is in full (well…) swing, maybe it’s time to study Nolympcs. Jens Ljunggren has read two books with a Games-critical perspective, NOlympians: Inside the Fight Against Capitalist Mega-Sports in Los Angeles, Tokyo and Beyond by Jules Boykoff, and NOlympics: Tokyo 2020/1 in der Kritik, editid by Steffi Richter, Andreas Singler & Dorothea Mladenova. Our reviewer points out the obvious risks involved when activists research their own movement and write its history.

IRSS is a peer reviewed academic journal. Its main purpose is to disseminate research and scholarship on sport throughout the international academic community. The journal publishes research articles of varying lengths, as well as book and media reviews. The Forum Editor’s pick from the current issue: CAN CELEBRITY ATHLETES BURST THE ECHO CHAMBER BUBBLE? THE CASE OF LEBRON JAMES AND LADY GAGA by Tsahi Hayat, Yair Galily, and Tal Samuel-Azran.