Page 184 - The ISA Handbook in Contemporary Sociology

9781412934633-Chap-11 1/10/09 8:47 AM Page 155

11

Competition, Conflict and

Cooperation, and the

Naturalization of Social

Difference in Sport 1

Fabien Ohl

The notions of conflict, cooperation and through its staging and narration, helps to
competition are clearly polysemous, and naturalize gender and race. Further, (4) com-
have different meanings according to con- petitive sport cannot be considered a homo-
text, culture, values, intellectual trends and geneous social practice, because of the
historical periods. The use of these terms variety of ways people relate to competition.
varies as well within the sociology of sport. 2 Lastly, (5) while cooperation is not as visible
Once we have clarified their meanings, we as competition, research shows that they
intend to show that (1) while competition must not be viewed as existing in opposition
represents an important object of study to each other: the connections between them
within the sociology of sport, conflict and are constructed in many different ways from
cooperation have received only secondary one culture to another.
attention. Indeed, competition constitutes the
reference point from which cooperation and
conflict have been observed. We also intend
to show (2) that researchers have often COMPETITION, CONFLICT AND
approached competition and conflict through COOPERATION IN SPORT: POINTS OF
the perspective afforded by the analysis of REFERENCE
capitalist ideologies. However, other
research has shown competitive sport to have Competition, understood as a confrontation
broader ideological underpinnings that codified and regulated by accredited organiza-
cannot be reduced to class conflict. tions, is a central element in sport. The history,
Moreover, (3) competitive sport, particularly resources and identities of the most powerful