Athlete Activism Contemporary Perspectives

This book examines the phenomenon of athlete activism across all levels of sport, from elite and international sport, to collegiate and semi-pro, and asks what this tells us about the relationship between sport and wider society. With contributions from scholars around the world, the book presents a series of fascinating case studies, including the activism of world-famous athletes such as Serena Williams, Megan Rapinoe and Raheem Sterling. Covering a broad range of sports, from the National Football League (NFL) and Australian Rules, to fencing and the Olympic Games, the book sheds important light on some of the most important themes in the study of sport, including gender, power, racism, intersectionality and the rise of digital media. It also considers the financial impact on athletes when they take a stand and the psychological impact of activism and how that might relate to sports performance. It has never been the case that ‘sport and politics don’t mix’, and now, more than ever, the opposite is true. This is essential reading for anybody with an interest in the politics or sociology of sport, the politics of protest, social movements or media studies.

Introduction Rory Magrath   1          Athlete Activism and the Olympic Games: A Dialectic of Resistance and Restriction             Jules Boykoff   2          Educated Activism: A Focus Group Study of High School Athletes’ Perceptions of Athlete Activism             Cole G. Armstrong and Ted Butryn   3          “It’s Our Duty to Utilize the Platform that We Have”: Motivations for Activism Among US College Athletes             Yannick Kluch   4          Financial Implications for Athlete Activists: The Cost of Taking a Stance             Sam Schmidt   5          The Changing Face of Black Athlete Activism: Pariah Today, Hero Tomorrow?             Letisha Engracia Cardoso Brown and DeShon Foxx   6          Disability, Sport and Social Activism: Para Athlete Activism             Damian Haslett and Brett Smith   7          Disabled Athlete Activism: Using an Emancipatory Theological Approach to Promote the Use of Disabled Athletes in Disability Activism in the UK             Stuart Braye and Tom Gibbons   8          Revising Trans-Exclusionary Narratives in Women’s Sports Activism: Who Are the “Women” of Women’s Athletics?             Valerie Moyer   9          ‘Doddie’ Weir and the Activism of Health, Nationhood, and Storytelling             Leslie Crang   10        Elite Athlete Activism for Gender Equality in Sport: Women’s Football in Spain             Celia Valiente   11        Athlete Activism Relative to Clothing: A Case Study of Ibtihaj Muhammad and the Sport Hijab             Linda K. Fuller   12        Braids, Beads, Catsuits, and Tutus: Serena Williams’ Intersectional Resistance through Fashion             Shaonta’ Allen   13        “I’m Not Going to the Fucking White House”: Fan Discourse about Megan Rapinoe during the 2019 Women’s World Cup             Hayley F. Gallagher, Caroline Wright and Jeffrey W. Kassing   14        Across Field and Classroom: The Activism of Adam Goodes and the Role of Australian Teachers in Tackling Racism             Sam Schulz, Faye Blanch and Sam Elliott   15        “Best Way to Silence the Haters”? Raheem Sterling’s Use of Social Media and Selective Press Interviews in the Fight Against Racism             Jonathan Cable   16        Online Activism and Athlete Advocacy in Professional Women’s Golf: Risk or Reward?             Niamh Kitching, Ali Bowes and Meghan Maclaren   17        Psychological Benefits for the Athlete Activist             Travis Scheadler

Rory Magrath is Associate Professor of Sociology at Solent University, Southampton, U.K. His research focuses on equality, diversity and inclusion in sport, with a specific focus on declining homophobia and the subsequent impact on men’s gender.