Abstract des Autors

The core function of this chapter is to dispel the myth and complexity of some of the core theories that sit within the study and professional practice of sport development. When students first start to read and research about sport development theory and conceptual ideas that are abstract and hard to understand, it can be off putting at best, disempowering at worst. This bridging chapter sets a straightforward and highly accessible point of reference for how sociology, political theory, business management theory, and other areas of conceptual ideas such as geography and psychology offer the social science starting point to analyse sport development. Without theory, we remain in the domain of opinion, common sense, and attitude. The idea is to start to move beyond description into evaluation, analysis, and critical explanation. This chapter does just this through giving students who are new to university and sport development a central starting point for reading theory.