The impact of sport on development of social capital: a systematic literature review

Dr Shushu Chen, Loughborough University & Edge Hill UniversityDr Dikaia Chatziefstathiou, Panteion University of Athens, Greece & ….........................................Canterbury Christ Church University, UKProfessor Ian Henry, Loughborough University

The EASM Conference,9th – 12th Sep 2014, Coventry, UK

Structure of This Presentation

Background Research aims & questions Method Findings and discussions Conclusions/ future study areas

Research Background Part of the Marie Curie Intra-European

Fellowship funded by the European Commission: “The Effects of Mega Sporting Events in Social Capital in Greece”;

A growing research interest in the concept of social capital;

Many existing studies in relation to this subject have been criticised for only focusing on conceptualising the hypothesis;

This study aims to examine the assumption that sport can have an impact on promoting social capital, by conducting a systematic review of the literature.

Research Objectives & Questions

To review the concepts and theories of social capital;

To answer the following research questions: Whether sport can lead to the development

and/or maintenance of social capital? In what ways that sport has impacts on

social capital?

Research Method Databases:

Web of Science

SPORTDIscus

Science Direct

Emerald

Taylor & Francis

Searching keywords: ‘Social capital’ AND ‘Sport*’

‘Social capital’ AND ‘Olympic*’

‘Social capital’ AND ‘Mega event*’

Inclusion Criteria: Academic relevant and peer reviewed

Language in English

Length: 5 pages or more

Search Results

263full-text articles

reviewed

172Excluded

91Included

Databases

Web of Science

SPORTDiscus

Science Direct

Emerald

Taylor & Francis

15491

20

10

116

Results: Thematic Analysis

The concepts and theories of social

capital Social capital and sport

A dimension of sport organisations A dimension of sport events A dimension of disadvantaged groups A dimension of volunteering A dimension of the ‘dark’ side of social capital

The Concepts and Theories of Social Capital

Social capital is an evolving concept, and varies between different social capital theories

The concept:

“Social capital is taken to refer to social networks based on social and group norms which enable people to trust and cooperate with each other and through which individuals or groups can

obtain certain types of advantage” (Coalter, 2007, p.540).

Social Networks Social Norms Trust

The Concepts and Theories of Social Capital

Three main theoretical frameworks:

• Trust, norms, and networks facilitate cooperation and mutual benefits;

• At the community level;• Bonding and bridging capitals.

Putnam(2000)

• Economic, cultural and social capitals

• At the individual level

Bourdieu(1986)

• Social structure• In the family and community

settings

Coleman(1989)

Sport and Social Capital Development

Sport Social Capital

PositiveNegativ

e

There is a growing interest in the role of sport on development of social capital: n (before 2004) = 36, n (after 2004) = 227;

The quality and rigours of the evidence varies;

The most of the studies included in this systematic review were based on Putnam’s theory;

Direct Indirect

Discussions

Issues with the concepts and theories of social capital; often no theoretical paradigm

Studies ignore the ‘dark side’ of social capital

Issues with the uniqueness of sport’s role in development of social capital;

The direction of the causal link: ----> <---- Issues with measuring social capital

(especially the intangible nature of social capital)

sport social capital?

?

Some Conclusions

There is still a lack of rigorous empirical studies to thoroughly and in a long term scrutinise the relationship between sport and social capital;

Limitations: the study has been restricted by the search strategy.

Areas where the literature is deficient: e.g. employment benefits, social capital development in the setting of sporting mega events, and university/higher education.

Thank you

References

BOURDIEU, P. 1986. The forms of capital.(1986).

COALTER, F. 2007a. Sports clubs, social capital and social regeneration: ‘ill-defined interventions with hard to follow outcomes’? Sport in Society, 10, 537-559.

COLEMAN, J. S. 1989. Social capital in the creation of human capital, University of Chicago Press.

HOYE, R. & NICHOLSON, M. 2009. Social capital and sport policies in Australia. Public Management Review, 11, 441-460.

PUTNAM, R. D. 2000. Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community, Simon and Schuster.