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
Conspicuous Fitness: Social Media, Fitspiration, and the Rise of the Exhibitionistic Self, by Aurélien Daudi

On September 20, 2024, Aurélien Daudi presented and successfully defended his dissertation Conspicuous Fitness: Social Media, Fitspiration, and the Rise of the Exhibitionistic Self (Malmö University Press) at the Department of Sport Sciences, Malmö University. In his review of the dissertation for idrottsforum.org, Alexis Sossa offers an insightful presentation of Daudi’s thought-provoking and pioneering study, noting the nuanced analyses as well as the absence of sociological and anthropological dimensions of fitspiration. (Review in English, published 250128.)
Krop–psyke [Body–psyche], by Jim Toft, Helle Winther & Simo Køppe (eds.)

The anthology Krop–psyke, compiled by Jim Toft, Helle Winther and Simo Køppe (Hans Reitzels Forlag), presents a phenomenological approach to consciousness as body and psyche. Through a combination of practical and theoretical texts, a holistic view of the body’s role in experience, feeling and thinking is developed. Our reviewer is Märtha Pastorek Gripson, and she presents the book’s central theoretical starting points and the treatment and teaching practices that emerge in an exemplary and appreciative manner. (Book in Danish, review in Swedish, published 250129.)
Aux Armes!: Sport and the French, an English perspective, by David Owen

Drawing on examples from the past six centuries, David Owen’s Aux Armes!: Sport and the French, an English perspective (Harvester Press) explores sport’s philosophical standing in France’s cultural DNA; its role in the popularisation of the Republic; the birth of the Olympics, the Tour de France and the football World Cup. Seasoned sport historian Hans Bolling would have liked more of everything, but settles, quite content, with Owen’s choice of stories and format; an appetizer from which the reader can move on, and in doing so being a more well-read person. (Review in English, published 250130.)
New Blog Posts
Ämneskunskaper och lärarskicklighet – eller en fråga om antal lärosäten? [Subject knowledge and teaching skills – or a question about the number of higher education institutions?], by Katarina Schenker
The public inquiry “Subject knowledge and teaching skills – a reformed teacher education” (SOU 2024:81) was made public in early December. The special investigator Peter Honeth’s assignment was to propose measures to develop teacher and preschool teacher education with the aim of raising the quality of the education and the status and attractiveness of the professions. Among other things, the investigator should, according to the committee directive: propose how the admission requirements for teacher and preschool teacher education can be raised; propose measures for how subject teacher education can be strengthened, for example through increased collaborations, and how certain subjects can be concentrated in fewer higher education institutions with the aim of raising quality; propose how the educational content can be reformed with an increased focus on subject knowledge, cognitive science and practical methodology; and submit the necessary legislative proposals… (Published in Swedish 250129.)
Dett VAR dett? [That was that?], by Mads Skauge
The NFF will “further develop” VAR. We knew that. But that the federation board’s proposal to the football parliament would go against the NTF majority, which was supposed to be “very weighty”, was far from obvious. This was one of the most important press conferences in the association’s history. Because the VAR case is unique. We will never see so much engagement and debate around a single issue in Norwegian football again. Moreover, VAR has brought member democracy to life, because it has been dormant. Put differently: Member democracy in Norwegian football is not new, what is new is that it is being used. The VAR case has been a lever for a new membership volume. Norwegian clubs have never had more members, and the membership will probably continue to grow. Therefore, the debate about football democracy is both natural and necessary… (Published in Norwegian 250130.)
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.)
Journal of Sport & Social Issues, Vol. 48, 2024, No. 1–2 | The Cultural Politics of Sport in the Unfolding 21st Century (250127)
- Communication & Sport, Vol. 11, 2023, No. 5 (250127
- Journal of Sport & Social Issues, Vol. 48, 2024, No. 3–4 (250128)
- Communication & Sport, Vol. 11, 2023, No. 6 (250128)
- Journal of Sport & Social Issues, Vol. 48, 2024, No. 5 (250129)
- Journal of Sport History, Volume 51, 2024, Number 3 (25029)
- Journal of Sport & Social Issues, Vol. 48, 2024, No. 6 | Leaders of None (25130)
News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)

- Call for Papers | Workshop: Sport and Collective Memory: New Directions | Paris Nanterre University, May 19–20, 2025. Call ends February 8, 2025 (250127)
- Call for Participation | The 2025 Cultures of Mountain Biking (CoMTB) online seminar series (250128)
- Utlysning | Stiftelsen IKSU Idrottsvetenskapliga pris 2025,
50 000 kronor | Nominera senast den 15 mars 2025 (250129) - Call for Papers | “Sports Marketing Transformation in Latin America: Social Impact, Innovation, and Economic Growth”, Special Issue of International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship | Call ends September 1, 2025 (250130)
- Call for Papers | “Next-Generation Sport Employees: Shaping the Future of Organizational Behavior in Sport”, Special Issue of the Journal of Sport Management | Call ends August 31, 2025 (250202)
- Public Defense of doctoral thesis | Taking a breather: Do physiological changes induced by growth during puberty outweigh those induced by endurance training in youth athletes? by Halvard Grendstad, Norwegian School of Sport Sciences, February 10, 2025 (250202)