Functions of Sports Clubs in European Societies

This book takes a closer look at the societal functions of sports clubs by using the broad range of empirical data of a comparative study. There is a limited amount of up-to-date knowledge on the functions of sports clubs and their potential to promote public health, social cohesion and democratic participation through volunteering and thus contribute to public welfare in European societies. Most of the existing studies are country-specific and therefore do not allow for making comparisons from a cross-national perspective. In light of this, the project 'Social Inclusion and Volunteering in Sports Clubs in Europe' (SIVSCE) collected, analysed and discussed comparable data and knowledge across ten European countries and disseminated this knowledge to politicians, sports professionals and sports volunteers in Europe. The SIVSCE project contains comparative data of clubs as well as of members in selected sports clubs. In each country chapter, the comparative data from the SIVSCE project is put together in a coherent way. Particularly, the data of the member survey give in-depth information about the fulfillment of the different functions of sports clubs (e.g. extension of democratic participation, social integration). Providing in-depth data related to policy issues, structure and management of clubs and individual member surveys, this book will be useful for students particularly those in sports management programmes as well as researchers and practitioners in social science and economics.

Auteur
Siegfried Nagel is a full Professor at the University of Bern and Director of the Institute of Sport Science. His main fields of interest are sport organisation research, particularly in sports clubs and federations, as well as sports participation research.
Karsten Elmose-Østerlund is Associate Professor at the University of Southern Denmark. He conducts research on participation and integration in sport and physical activity with a particular focus on voluntary sports clubs.
Bjarne Ibsen is Full Professor at the University of Southern Denmark and leader of Centre for Sports, Health and Civil Society. His main research interest is studies of civil society, the collaboration between voluntary organizations and the public sector, the development of associations, sports politics and participation in sports and other physical activities.
Jeroen Scheerder is Professor of sport policy and sport sociology in the Department of Movement Sciences at KU Leuven and head of the Policy in Sports & Physical Activity Research Group. He is promotor-coordinator of the Flemish Policy Research Centre on Sports and was President of EASS (2014-2016).

Contenu
Introduction.- Analytical Framework of the SIVSCE Project.- Chapter 1: Belgium (Flanders).- Chapter 2: Denmark.- Chapter 3: England.- Chapter 4: Germany.- Chapter 5: Hungary.- Chapter 6: The Netherlands.- Chapter 7: Norway.- Chapter 8: Poland.- Chapter 9: Spain.- Chapter 10: Switzerland.- Chapter 11: A Cross-National Analysis of the Functions of Sport Clubs.- Chapter 12. Switzerland: Autonomous Sports Clubs as Contributors to Public Welfare.- Chapter 13. Exploring Pan-European Similarities and Differences in Club-Organised Sports.- Chapter 14. The Contribution of Sports Clubs to Public Welfare in European Societies. A Cross-National Comparative Perspective.