Studying sport through the lens of historical sociology and/or sociological history

Abstract

In this paper, a version of which was published in the mid 1990s, I try to promote a dialogue between historians, sociologists and geographers. In doing so, I sought to identify the common ground that unites these academic disciplines. In doing so I argue that mainstream academics have been more successful in conducting this dialogue and fusion of concepts and craft but that the sub-disciplines of sport history, sociology of sport and sport geography have been less receptive yet, there are examples of academic good practice that highlight the benefits of such interchange. Given the complexity of sport worlds, I suggested then, and maintain now, that a collective social science and humanities approach is required to more adequately explain the meaning and significance of sport at local, national and global levels.