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.
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.
“It was a photo that changed my life,” says Richard Davis at HOME café in the city centre. This picture is of Joy Division, taken by British photographer Kevin Cummins on Epping Walk Bridge in Hulme. The stark, steely images would go on to define the band and this part of the city’s legacy. It…
Based on Douglas Day Stewarts’ hit 80s romance, An Officer and A Gentleman takes to the Manchester Opera House stage to transport us into a timeless story of love, courage and redemption. This Curve production is a neon sensation of retro hits and escapism.
To celebrate 16 years of their music, The Maine take the road for a limited number of shows in the UK and Europe. After stops in Cologne and Amsterdam, tonight marks Manchester’s visit. Under the enigmatic ceiling of New Century Hall, a voice over the speakers orders the crowd to “adjust your enthusiasm in 5, 4, 3,…
The latest series to take Netflix by storm is the real-life story of Scottish comedian Richard Gadd. Baby Reindeer documents Gadd’s encounter with previously convicted stalker “Martha Scott”, detailing the disturbing series of events that would culminate in her eventual imprisonment.
Leave a reply