Although there is significant interest in the social role of sport in fostering civil society from both policymakers and academics, there is a lack of evidence of the specific role of sport federations in this system. This book critically presents the mechanisms and structures in a selection of sport federations within a variety of European countries that illuminate the varied relationships between not-for-profit sport federations, their members, governments and the citizens they represent. The contributors explore the contrasts and synergies between core social capital theoretical perspectives, and how these may be informed by and/or shape the realities of governance from different perspectives within the sport system.

Contents

1. Social Capital, Governance and Sport Barrie Houlihan and Margaret Groeneveld 2. The EU and Sport Governance: Between Economic and Social Values Borja García 3. Czech Sport Governance Cultures and a Plurality of Social Capitals: Politicking Zone, Movement and Community Dino Numerato 4. Danish Sport Governance: Tradition in Transition H. Thomas R. Persson 5. Sport and Social Capital in England Andrew Adams 6. Social Capital and Sport Governance in France Cristina Fusetti 7. Sport, Divided Societies and Social Capital in Ireland David Hassan and Allan Edwards 8. The Social Capital of Sport: The Case of Italy Simone Baglioni 9. Governance and Social Capital: Democratic Effects and Policy Outcomes in a Nordic Sport Model Ørnulf Seippel 10. Conclusion: Understanding Social Capital as Both Metaphor and Traditional Form of Social Exchange Margaret Groeneveld and Fabien Ohl

Author Bio

Margaret Groeneveld is Lecturer in Social Sciences of Sport at University of Ulster.

Barrie Houlihan is Professor at the Institute of Sport & Leisure Policy at Loughborough University.

Fabien Ohl is Professor at the University of Lausanne.