News, Sport

MMU Sociologist joins John Amaechi to debate ‘Sport in the Age of Austerity’

0 262

Words by Chloe Marie Thornton

When it comes to football, Manchester is divided into red and blue. However, the beautiful game is not the only topic of conversation. On Friday, MMU’s lecturer in Sociology, Dr. Chris Porter joined former NBA star, John Amaechi OBE in panelling the ‘Sport in the Age of Austerity’ talk at the University of Manchester. Accompanying academics were Dr. Neil King of Edge Hill University, and Dan Parnell of University of Derby respectively. Though much discussion was placed on football and its influences on society, the overarching topic was the failure of government sports policies in the current economic climate. 

The experts approached issues such as ethics, under-qualified coaching and bridging the gap between the elite and the ‘ordinary’, but all panellists agreed that change is needed in policy making. They claimed the current impact of sport on communities is measured by anecdotal evidence rather than empirical. Therefore, policy makers are making uninformed assumptions on what sport can and can’t influence in society.

Dr. Chris Porter, director of MMU’s auspicious Centre for the Study of Football and its Communities (CSFC), spoke of the need for a more critical approach to ethical issues surrounding sport, particularly in football. He talked of sport having a powerful symbolic element for spectators and consumers as it is often an “integral part of contemporary life.” Consequently, he believes that high-profile sporting figures have a responsibility to criticise societal problems such as racism, homophobia and sexism within sport. He also suggested that the division in economic situations at Manchester City and Manchester United displays a need for official sporting organisations to create their own ethical policies concerning where sporting clubs receive financial support.

Much of what Chris spoke of reflected his post-talk comments on “making a difference within the community,” being an important outcome of his research. This combination of academic research and public engagement is very much what the CSFC is eager to achieve. Adding to the Centre’s interest in the cohesion of sport and society, Chris explained that “transplanting the things learnt through research in Manchester globally” is an important aspect of the CSFC’s studies. “Our research is receiving interest,” he said, “from academics in Malaysia and Australia,” marking the CSFC as an internationally recognised inter-disciplinary network. Following the successful ‘Football and Communities Across Codes’ conference held in Sydney earlier this year, a third annual event is due to take place in Manchester next June. 
 
Chloe graduated from MMU with a degree in English and is now studying an MA in Contemporary Literature and Film there. You can read her blog at http://www.27chloemarie.blogspot.co.uk/ and follow her on Twitter @chloemthornton.

About the author / 

aAh!

aAh! Magazine is Manchester Metropolitan University's arts and culture magazine.

Leave a reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

More News Stories:

  • The best streaming services on a student budget

    Featured image: Anastasia Shuraeva/Pexels With many different streaming services, students have many choices. Alongside social media and YouTube, watching entertaining and readily available shows and movies seems more popular than TV. There are a variety of streaming services for everyone, some including exclusive discounts for students and bundles for entertainment fanatics. Getting a good deal is…

  • The 70s Revival: How the music of the decade has influenced Gen Z

    Featured image: Pixabay Liberation. Rebellion. Revolution. Fuelled by rock n’ roll, drugs and freedom, the 1970s was an era of change. Not only did music triumph, but the decade was the catalyst for political awareness and notably, the empowerment of women. The music of the 70s had so much to offer, with a plethora of…

  • Beat the Winter Blues: Self-care ideas to avoid Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

    Featured image: Yuris Alhumaydy/Unsplash As the days shorten and temperatures drop, many of us find ourselves feeling a little ‘off.’ The struggle to get out of bed grows and you may be unmotivated, lethargic, or generally blue without any clear reason. If this sounds familiar, you are not alone.  Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is understood…

  • Amyl & the Sniffers - Cartoon Darkness

    Album review: Amyl and The Sniffers – Cartoon Darkness – punk for the modern age

    Garage-punk foursome cement cult rockstar status with euphoric third album Cartoon Darkness. Riding high off the back of mainstage sets at festivals like Primavera and Bearded Theory and sold-out tours across the globe, the expectation could not be higher for Aussie four-piece Amyl and The Sniffers. Their sophomore record Comfort to Me shot them into…