Dear all,
So, we’ve entered the month of December, and for many that means the traditional countdown; yesterday was Advent Sunday, and there are three more Sundays in the Advent season before it ends on Christmas Eve. This is the traditional Christian countdown – you light a new candle for each Sunday. I do that too, purely because our Advent candle tray is rather special. My personal countdown, though, is professional – how many days are left for publishing stuff before the traditional holiday break in the annual cycle of idrottsforum.org. My intention is to publish at least three or four more articles and seven of eight more book reviews.
We’ll have to see how that goes.
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
Feature Article
Early and structured talent development systems in sport: Why are researchers so hesitant?
Previously available only in Swedish, Tommy Lundberg’s article on early and structured talent development systems in sport is now published in English as well. Recently, some Swedish football clubs have been noticed for having implemented these development systems. This has been met with criticism from sport scholars, and in is article Tommy Lundberg summarizes the current state of research and highlights the central arguments that explain why researchers are critical. (Published in English 241129.
Book Reviews
Parkrun: An Organised Running Revolution, by David Hindley
David Hindley’s Parkrun: An Organised Running Revolution (Routledge) is the first book to take an in-depth look at parkrun – the free, weekly, timed 5km run on a Saturday morning – and to examine why its participants love it so much and why it has been such an astonishing success. Fred Mason is our reviewer and he finds that Hindley explores the parkrun phenomenon deeply and critically, and covers ideas of community, identity, volunteering, and public health interventions. (Review in English, published 241125.)
Managing Sport Development: An International Approach, by Emma Sherry, Nico Schulenkorf, Pamm Phillips & Katie Rowe (eds.)
Managing Sport Development: An International Approach, edited by Emma Sherry, Nico Schulenkorf, Pamm Phillips & Katie Rowe (Routledge) is an introduction to sport development, covering key concepts and theory as well as best practice in the management, implementation, and evaluation of sport development programs. Our reviewers, Derrick Charway and Josephine Traberg, give full marks albeit some reservations regarding the semantics involved in separating sport through, from sport for, development. (Review in English, published 241127.)
Social Media in Sport: Evidence-Based Perspectives, by Gashaw Abeza & Jimmy Sanderson (eds.)
Social Media in Sport: Evidence-Based Perspectives, edited by Gashaw Abeza and Jimmy Sanderson (Routledge), takes a close look at social media in sport and considers its significance for sport business and for the wider relationship between sport and society. Or, less of the latter, according to our reviewer Anna Adlwarth, who quite appreciates the business and marketing perspectives of the book but would have liked to see more reflections on the politics of the phenomenon that is social media. (Review in English, published 241129.)
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.)
STADION. International Journal of the History of Sport, Vol. 47, 2023, Issue 1 (241125)- Movimento, Vol 30, Jan.–Dec. 2024 (241125)
- Soccer & Society, Volume 25, 2024, Issue 8 (241126)
- The Physical Educator, Vol. 81, 2024, No. 6 (241127)
- The International Journal of the History of Sport, Volume 41, 2024, Issue 9 (241128)
- Journal of Adventure Education & Outdoor Learning, Volume 24, 2024, Issue 4 (241129)
News items (calls for papers, vacancies, etc.)
- Call for Papers | Sport&EU 19th Annual Conference | University of Naples Federico II, June 30–July 1, 2025. Call ends January 1, 2025 (241125)
- Public defence of doctoral thesis | Physical activity, fitness, screen time and healthy brain functions in adolescents by Karin Kjellenberg, Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences | December 6, 2024 (241126)
- Lediga platser | Högskolelektor i idrottsvetenskap, inriktning idrottslära, till Gymnastik- och idrottshögskolan, GIH, i Stockholm | Ansök senast den 7 januari 2025 (241126)
- Call for Papers | Amazons of the Arena: Essays on the History of Female Wrestling, Edited Collection | Call ends February 28, 2025 (241127)
- Call for Papers | Competing for Change: Exploring Sustainability and (Mental) Health through Sports, FISU World Conference | Bochum, Germany, July 17–19, 2025. Call ends December 21, 2024 (241128)
