Rethinking Drinking and Sport

Rethinking Drinking and Sport examines the complex nature of sport-related drinking. With close attention to the contradictory nature of sport-related drinking, this book considers both 'the problem' of drinking in sport, as well as some of the issues for treatment and recovery that sports-related drinking presents. Bringing together a range of methodological and theoretical debates that address the relationships between alcohol and sport, Rethinking Drinking and Sport draws on rich new interview material with fans and both drinking and non-drinking sportsmen and women, as well as documentary and media sources. Based on research across a variety of sports in the UK and Australia, Rethinking Drinking and Sport explores not only the relationship between alcohol, fans, participants and industry, but also questions of gender and identity to provide fresh insights into the complex relationships between drinking and sport. Examining possible directions for health and public policy in relation to sport-related drinking, this book will appeal to social scientists and policy makers with interests in consumption, leisure, sport, drinking, and health.

Catherine Palmer is Professor of Sociology and Head of the School of Social Sciences at the University of Tasmania, Australia. She is the author of Global Sports Policy.

Contents: Preface. Part I Social Practices and Drinking Identities: Mapping the sport-alcohol nexus; Beyond hegemonic masculinity: social theory and sport-related drinking; Women and sport-related drinking; Non-drinking, dry events and alternative forms of sport; Biographies of drinking. Part II Tackling the Problem: Changing the culture; Some paradoxes and potentials for recovery and prevention; Policy and sponsorship; Rethinking drinking and sport. Bibliography; Index.