About this Research Topic

Background

Sport and development are bio-sociocultural phenomena with the potential to contribute significantly to overall human well-being. Their dynamic and intricate relationship operates at multiple levels, from the global to the societal to the individual. Although they involve deeply contextualized daily practices and interactions, the field of Sport for Development, which has been gaining popularity in recent decades, tends to rely on universal definitions of "sport" and "development," which risks ignoring the possible diverse interpretations and meanings these terms hold in different cultural groups, and the practices and lives of individual humans. One consequence is the oversimplification of the interplay between sport and development in social and historical contexts and the experiences of individuals. In recent decades, many researchers have criticized the reductive formula where "sport = tool" and "development = outcome" in the SDP discourses. Meanwhile, outside the SDP fields, the contextualized interplay of both terms has yet to be fully explored.

Paying attention to the diverse practices, narratives, and values in different contexts, this Research Topic seeks to develop a more complex understanding by delving into the rich and dynamic landscape of sport and development at both individual and societal levels. It seeks to examine the contextualized, multifaceted interactions of sport and development across societies and through history, striving to reveal the nuanced ways these two concepts intersect with other dimensions of human life, influenced by and influencing a wide range of bio-sociocultural factors. We invite scholars and practitioners from diverse disciplines and regions to contribute to this Research Topic, particularly those using cross-disciplinary, mixed-method (qualitative and quantitative), or purely qualitative approaches in the underexplored Asian and African regions.

This Research Topic aims to address the following themes but is not limited to:
1. How do diverse perceptions and value systems in human groups explain sport and development, their relationships, and their changes over time?
2. To what extent have historical contexts influenced the practices of sport and its role in development at both individual and societal levels? The practices of sports here are not limited to modern sports but could include various forms, such as local physical practices and traditional games or sport-like activities.
3. How do local practices, narratives, and norms shape the understanding and implementation of the existing concept of sport for development and peace?
4. What are the implications of globalizing sports perceptions and practices on local development agendas, and what are the implications of globalized development goals on local sports practices?

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Editorial
• General Commentary
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review

Keywords: development complexities, individual, society, sport ambiguity, well-being

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.

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