Dear all,
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TEXTLast week the following items were published on idrottsforum.org (see below; language and publication dates, YYMMDD, in brackets). Click on the red headings to go to content. Utilize the Google Translate service to turn Scandinavian language pages into (some sort of) English.
And remember, if you’re not already hooked up to one of the social media outlets that we utilize, for now they are Facebook, Bluesky, LinkedIn and X, you’re missing quite a lot of information from idrottsforum.org that never appears on the website. So, if that is the case, check out, by clicking on the names, our Facebook, LinkedIn and X accounts.
Have a great week,
Kjell Eriksson
Editor
Research Article
Switch-Kick Locomotion: A first classification of bilateral alternating propulsion on wheeled platforms
In this paper, Enrique Cubillo proposes the first formal classification of switch-kick locomotion—bilateral alternating propulsion on wheeled platforms—as a distinct locomotor class. To the author’s knowledge, no existing biomechanical, sports science, or physical literacy literature has formally defined bilateral alternating propulsion on wheeled platforms as a distinct locomotor class with necessary and sufficient constraints. The paper documents what appears to be no systematic or formalized switch-kick instruction in global skateboarding pedagogy. (Published in English 260416.
Book Reviews
Tackling for God: Christianity and American College Football
From the game’s early days, college football and a strain of muscular Christianity built a mutually reinforcing culture that taught lessons in America’s dominant religious, gendered, and racial belief systems. In his book The Gridiron Gospel: Faith and College Football in Twentieth-Century America (University of Illinois Press) Hunter M. Hampton analyzes the impact of football on Christian college campuses. Brian Hillman is our reviewer, and although he would have liked to hear more of student voices and views, he still finds Hampton’s effort to be an enjoyable-to-read monograph. (Review in English, published 260414.)
An insightful and valuable book that convincingly argues for taking fandom seriously
The Psychology of Sports Fans by Aaron C.T. Smith (Routledge) explains the intricate psychological foundations of sports fandom, exploring why sports hold such emotional power across cultures and demographics, and uncovers how sports provide meaning, identity, and community, making them an essential part of human life. Peter Hassmén is our excellent guide to this book, presenting its strengths and weaknesses equally detailed and respectfully, concluding that the sometime lack of scholarly depth affecting for instance the discussion on religion and hooliganism is well compensated for by its accessibility in structure and writing style. (Review in English, published 260417.)
Scholarly Journals
Since its inception 23 years ago, idrottsforum.org has been proudly presenting every new issue of almost all scholarly journals within the field of sport studies, widely defined. However, after carefully considering the whole situation – with increasing number of journals and number of issues per journal – we have decided to let go of the original ambition; it has become too time-consuming. Henceforth we will publish alerts about new journal issues on our social media accounts (Facebook, LinkedIn and X), and also special alerts when particularly interesting articles in scholarly journals are published online, giving priority to open access publications. The Scholarly Journals page will list all journals within the extended sport studies field for your information, and we will endeavor to update it with any new titles being launched.
News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)
- Call for Papers | “In These Times: Tracing Sporting Pasts, Presents, and Futures”, NASSS conference 2026 | Calgary, November 5–7, 2026. Call ends May 4, 2026 (260413)
- ASU Jewish Studies Lecture Series: “Jews and Sport” | Two free YouTube lectures by Shawn Klein (260414)
- Call for Papers | “The Sports Issue”, Special Issue of Public Humanities | Call ends October 1, 2026 (260414)
- Call for Participation | Streaming the Formula 1 Rivalry: F1 and the Media | Research Webinar, April 22, 2026, at 16:00 CET (260414)
- Call for Participation | Sport and Physical Activity policy, politics and practice in Scotland | Free CCSE webinar, April 22, 2026, 15:00–16:00 CEST (260414)
- Call for Participation | “Disability, Sport Workforce & Leadership”, Symposium | Leeds Beckett University, June 3, 2026, 9:30–15:30. Registration is now open (260415)
- Extended deadline | Call for Papers | “Emerging Adult Athletes”, Special Issue of Emerging Adulthood | Call ends May 1, 2026 (260415)
- Call for Participation | Book Workshop: The Ethics of Sportswashing | University of Glasgow and Zoom, May 21, 2026. Registration deadline May 14, 2026, 9:00am BST (260419)
