Handbook of Sports Studies

`This is a book that lacks nothing. It is not only about sport, but the contexts, in which it surfaces, the cultures that encircle it, the forces that unify it and those that tear it apart. Its exemplary organisation provides a framework in which Coakley and Dunning are able to review every known theory, topic and problem - from poststructuralism through gender to violence - relevant to the scholarly analysis of sport. A strong international section collects research findings from around the world. The scope of the Handbook is immense and its detail lavish; yet, its text is economical - almost 700 pages and not a wasted sentence. In short, a champion without challengers′ - Ellis Cashmore Professor of Culture, Media and Sport, Staffordshire University, and author of Making Sense of Sports

`This handbook contains useful reviews of major theoretical frameworks and research topics in sports studies - especially sport sociology - written by a star-studded array of internationally recognized experts. The scope and depth of this volume demonstrates the intellectual maturity of this area. Each chapter provides an informative historical context and an organized conceptual framework for making sense of the relevant scholarly literature. The book will be particularly useful to graduate students, advanced undergraduates, and college and university faculty who are seeking to gain rapid, informed access to the literature′ - Janet C Harris, California State University