Sport and the English, 1918-1939: Between the Wars

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Routledge, May 2, 2006 - Social Science - 200 pages

A thorough, innovative yet entertaining and readable analysis of sport as an expression of the values and social relations of a nation. Covering the years between the two World Wars, the central place of sport in English life is brought into sharp focus, providing insight into issues of gender, class, religion and locality, ideas of morality, continuity and change, and what it meant to be English during this pivotal time.

Themes include:

  • the nature of sport and its place in national life
  • how sport was portrayed in the media and through the sports stars of the age
  • tradition and change in sport and in society
  • gaining meaning from sport: the pursuit of pleasure, a moral code, and ideas of Englishness
  • class, social conflict and social cohesion.

This original and lucid study is ideal for students of sport and social history, and anyone with an interest in the social role of sport.

 

Contents

Introduction
The place of sport in national life 1
the mass media 24
celebrity stars and heroes 42
Traditions and innovations 60
sport and pleasure 77
sportsmanship and decorum 97
Englishness and isolationism 113
Class conflict and cohesion 133
Conclusion 152
Notes 159
References 169
Index 178

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About the author (2006)

Mike Huggins, Jack Williams

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