Einleitung

Section 5: social divisions and youth sport
The social stratification of sports participation is a recurring topic in the academic literature on sports. The link between social class and sports participation has been frequently analysed, both theoretically and empirically. The insights of the French sociologist Pierre Bourdieu (1930-2002) concerning the relationship between social position and lifestyle have been both inspiring and influential for this field of study (e.g. Bourdieu, 1978, 1988; Ohl, 2000; Stempel, 2005). Since research on social stratification has mostly focused on adults, the relation between youth sport and social class seems to be somewhat underestimated (Scheerder et al, 2005a; Scheerder et al., 2005c). Yet, perhaps more than ever, the topics of social difference in general, and social inequality in particular, are worthy of investigation. In the first part of this chapter, we argue why the relation between youth sport and social class is an issue of concern. The chapter then proceeds with a brief overview of some recent international research findings. This informs us about the present situation, reporting to what extent youth sports participation is currently linked to social class. In order to have a more detailed view, a case study based on youth sport in Flanders (Belgium) is presented in the third section. The case study makes it possible to study youth sport and its social stratification over a broader time frame, since the Flemish data allow depiction of the development of sports participation over a time span of several decades. Yet, as argued by Dagkas and Stathi (2007), it is one thing to identify social groups participating less; understanding why they participate less is even more important. Therefore, in a fourth section, explanations of the relationship between youth sport and social class are explored, both based on theoretical understandings as well as empirical findings from the literature. We conclude the chapter by considering opportunities for the future and a potential way forward. Social class, and its relation with youth sport, constitute the central theme of this chapter. However, the term social class is not without polemic. A multitude of definitions and operationalisations exist in the literature, and it has repeatedly been questioned whether the idea of a social class remains relevant to our current society (e.g. Beck, 1992; Waters, 1994). We have chosen not to dwell on this debate here. Rather, it is important for the reader to know that, when using the term social class in this chapter, we mean a person’s socio-economic position in general. When using the term social stratification, we mean a system of social classification in which entire categories of people are ranked in a social hierarchy. Based upon an unequal distribution of valued resources - such as money, education, occupation, housing, an affluent and attractive lifestyle, and interesting and enjoyable recreational opportunities - people are assigned to different social classes and acquire distinct social statuses. In this way, people with a higher class standing are more likely to consume more of the things that society values, compared to persons in lower social groups. Moreover, these distinct patterns of social ranking seem to persist across generations. Studies on sports participation generally refute the idea that sport has become more democratic and egalitarian in social class terms. In fact, since the 1950s, empirical research has continuingly shown that participation in sports activities is characterised by social differences, reflecting the social stratification patterns that exist in society (e.g. Bourdieu, 1978; Luschen, 1963; 1969; Moens and Scheerder, 2004; Renson, 1976; Scheerder et al., 2002; Scheerder et al., 2005b; Scheerder and Vos, 2011; von Euler, 1953; Wilson, 2002).