The authors of the sociology of sport

Elias, Dunning, Bourdieu, Pociello, Brohm, Ehrenberg, Bromberger: who said what, and with which concept.

The outline, topic by topic

Each topic is weighted the way the exam weighs it.

Norbert Elias: what is it?
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German sociologist who saw modern sport as a product of the civilising process and the control of emotions.
He wrote Quest for Excitement (1986) with Eric Dunning.
An author explains that golf attracts executives and boxing workers because of acquired dispositions. Who?
- Pierre Bourdieu
- Norbert Elias
- Jean-Marie Brohm
- Alain Ehrenberg
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Pierre Bourdieu
Acquired dispositions are the habitus.
Pierre Bourdieu: what is it?
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French sociologist who linked sporting tastes to social position through habitus and capital.
His key text: "How can one be a sports fan?" (1978).
What do Bourdieu and Pociello have in common?
- They explain sport by the control of emotions
- They see sport as a tool of capitalism
- They link sports to social positions
- They analyse the match as a collective ritual
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They link sports to social positions
Pociello extended Bourdieu's analysis by mapping the space of sports.
Christian Pociello: what is it?
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French sociologist who mapped the space of sports and linked each practice to social groups.
He notably contrasted energetic and informational sports.