Sport for Development and Peace

Darnell delivers a deep and varied analysis of the ways in which contemporary sport meshes with principles of sociology and international development. The book provides a theoretically and empirically rich account of SFD [sport-for-development] critique, yet at the same time it is an endorsement of SFD significance…Sport for Development and Peace: A Critical Sociology is a powerful addition to the growing literature on SFD, particularly as to date there has been very little critical sociological exploration by academia. Due to its depth and academic rigour, the book is undoubtedly useful across a variety of disciplines, including sports studies, management, cultural studies, sociology, international relations and development studies. The author should be congratulated for the depth of information provided and the boldness to present readers with critical insights into a burgeoning area in which established beliefs, assumptions and assessments often remain superficial and/or imbalanced. -- Nico Schulenkorfa, Sport Management Business School, University of Technology, Sydney * International Journal of Sport Policy and Politics * [Darnell's] text effectively manages to do crucial groundwork and also present an inspired, forward-thinking research agenda. This difficult task is skilfully managed in this book...By stepping outside the traditional foci of SDP research he inspires others to explore new questions and bring new perspectives to a body of research that largely focuses on questions of monitoring and evaluation and single-issue agendas. -- Sarah Palmer-Felgate and Megan Chawansky * International Review for the Sociology of Sport *