Dear all,
Last 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.
Have a great week,
Kjell Eriksson
Editor
Book Reviews
Den sista utposten: En berättelse om svensk fotboll [The last outpost: A story about Swedish football], by Noa Bachner
Noa Bachner’s reportage and debate book The last outpost: A story about Swedish football (Mondial) is about how Sweden survived the horrors of modern football. About a people’s movement that resisted. About member democracy and a sense of authenticity that the rest of the world mourns that it has lost. Sara Karlén, who will soon submit her dissertation in sports science on the tifo culture in Swedish and international football, describes Bachner’s book as something of an eye-opener for people like her who is already in the know, and as extremely instructive for those who have just opened their eyes to the question. (Book and review in Swedish, published 240227.)
Traditional Sports and Games in the Conemporary World: The New Face of Sport?, by Bartosz Prabucki
Having read Bartosz Prabucki’s Traditional Sports and Games in the Contemporary World: The New Face of Sport? (Cambridge Scholars Publishing) – claimed by the publisher as “a captivating story about traditional sports and games in the current world”, our reviewer Helge Chr. Pedersen has very little to say in favor of the book. He finds the publisher’s failure to provide a guiding editorial hand at fault, as well as the author’s lack of depth and critical analysis. (Review in English, published 240229.)
Skitstöveln som trejdade Wayne Gretzky: Och andra berättelser om NHL [The idiot who traded Wayne Gretzky: And other NHL stories], by Jon Andersson
In his book The idiot who traded Wayne Gretzky: And other NHL stories (Bokförlaget Atlas), journalist Jon Andersson goes behind the headlines and tells stories about the world’s best hockey league, which you rarely read about on the sports pages or hear about in the daily reporting. Tobias Stark lifts his hat (helmet?) for Andersson’s stories, a narrative sports journalism that is common on the other side of the Atlantic and that is too rarely expressed in our country. (Book and review in Swedish, published 240301.)
New Blog Posts
Getting fired up by firing rockets, by Mads Skauge
Completely against the run of play, Ajax won the doubleheader against Bodø/Glimt. A number of controversial refereeing decisions, especially the home game in Bodø, are discussed in social media. But the play-off of the match was just as controversial. The supporter group Ultras Bodø, which for the record is not directly part of the umbrella organization J-feltet, set off fireworks outside the opposing team’s hotel, Scandic Havet, in the center of Bodø on the night of match day. (Published in Norwegian 240229.)
Shared scarves and shared sympathies?, by Mads Skauge
Another European club with proud traditions visited Aspmyra recently, namely Ajax. Ahead of the second leg, Glimt sold scarves with the club’s own colors and logo on one half – and the Ajax colors on the other. A so-called half’n half scarf. When they advertised this on social media, it sparked a discussion. Some actually expressed their annoyance. Among these were both Glimt supporters and supporters of other teams. How could a scarf create so much engagement? What could this be an expression of? The Half’n Half scarves divide football fans, both abroad, in Norway and in Glimt’s own stands. (Published in Norwegian 240229.)
New Issues of Scholarly Journals
(We’re currently reviewing this service, since it’s a rather time-consuming undertaking. In the meanwhile we’re presenting some of the journals in line with the Forum’s core mission.)
European Sport Management Quarterly, Volume 24, 2024, Issue 1 | Agency and Institutions in Sport (240226)- Idrott, Historia & Samhälle | Sport, History & Society, Vol. 2023 (240226)
- Sociology of Sport Journal, Volume 41, 2024, Issue 1 (240226)
- Scandinavian Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, Vol. 5, 2023 | Open Access (240227)
- International Review for the Sociology of Sport, Vol. 59, 2024, No. 1 (240302)
News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)
Svenskledda världsunika studien kan ge explosivare damfotboll med hjälp av effektivare tester och träning [A Swedish-led world-unique study may provide more explosive women’s football with the help of more effective tests and training] (240229)
Call for Papers | “Murmurations”, The 11th International Conference of Autoethnography | July 23–24, 2024, The Engineer’s House, Clifton Village, Bristol, UK. Call ends March 29, 2024 (240301)
Call for Papers | British Society of Sports History Annual Conference | Chichester University, August 22–23, 2024, Call ends May 7, 2024 (240303)
