Transformative research and epistemological hierarchies: Ruminating on how the sociology of the sport field could make more of a difference. (May 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Pringle, Richard; Falcous, Mark
• Is Part Of: International review for the sociology of sport. Volume 53:Number 3(2018:Jun.)
• Page Start: 261
• Page End: 277
• Publication Date: 2018-05
• Subjects: affect -- critical research -- feminist activist research -- interdisciplinary -- qualitative -- sociology of sport field -- theorizings; Sports -- Social aspects -- Periodicals; 306.48305
• DOI: 10.1177/1012690216654297
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1012-6902

Abstract

Amidst recent clarion calls for 'transformative action' within the sociology of sport, in this paper we consider the prospects of the field with respect to challenging social injustices and inequities. We reflect on how the sociology of sport has developed in a manner that now privileges the idiographic over the nomothetic, qualitative over quantitative methods and social constructionism over scientism. Although we acknowledge the strengths of these ways of knowing, we argue that the resulting marginalization of quantitative methods and associated scepticism towards the biological sciences may potentially limit the ability of the sociology of sport to make a difference. We subsequently draw on select feminist activists and affect theorists to consider how methodological border crossings might enhance possibilities for challenging social injustices. We proffer that it is timely to reevaluate the field's epistemological orthodoxies in order to have greater political impact.