Sport, culture and society

The advance of capitalism in Latin American countries suggests an area for discussion: the reflection on the tension between the commodification of different aspects of the lives of citizens in Latin America and the progression of the expansion and acquisition of rights in more democratic societies.

In our CLACSO Working Group on Sport, Culture and Society, this discussion revolves around sport. The three main lines of inquiry are as follows:

• First, it is essential to continue studying state public policies that promote the right to access and sustainably participate in physical activity and/or sport. We therefore seek to understand the measures (or lack thereof) that governments at their various levels (national, provincial, local) formulate and effectively implement for the inclusive growth and development of sport and physical activity. In light of current government decision-making, it is also crucial to understand the strategies that grassroots organizations employ in their communities to negotiate with the privatization process.

• Secondly, envisioning democratic societies involves generating resources and information to create opportunities for minority groups and/or those historically relegated to silence and ostracism. Therefore, within the current global context of women's rights movements, one topic for discussion among the Working Group members concerns gender relations in various sports. Around this theme, we intend to examine the construction of hegemonic and alternative masculinities and femininities in this field, the violence perpetrated against women and gender non-conforming individuals, the organizational and advocacy strategies of athletes, and the construction of gendered representations in mainstream media.

• Thirdly, we note the central role that coaches, teachers, instructors, professionals from various disciplines—psychologists, doctors, physical education teachers—and administrators, etc., play in the promotion and development of sports practices for children, youth, and adults. These actors produce and reproduce meanings about sports practices. Therefore, we will comparatively seek to understand the representations they circulate about sports practices, in addition to problematizing the relevance of our knowledge as social scientists in building inclusive and democratic educational processes. This work will open up opportunities for exchange and co-construction of knowledge among the actors working in the field and in research centers.

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Work Plan 2023-2025