Sport and the Social Class Flashcards
Does social class matter in sport?
We don’t all have equal access to sports even though many claim we do. Economics can affect someone’s ability to take part in sport. For example, the cost of living crisis today can limit people’s ability to purchase equipment for certain sports. It costs a lot to be a participant in some sporting fields. Going to games is also expensive e.g. Arsenal has the most expensive season ticket in the premier league for this season (2023-2024). Watching sport at home is also expensive in terms of paying for BT, Sky or VPNs. Being a club member, paying for insurance, memberships and subs cost a lot too. Bus passes or car costs to get to sports facilities can affect participation.
This is what Marx would call the Marxist understanding of how sport is understood due to the economic value placed on sports today and having to pay to engage with it.
Material things to participate and watch sport are more accessible to those who have economic capital and use it to their advantage but to other groups, it is not as easy to obtain this disposable income. Certain groups are privileged to engage in sports.
Sport can disadvantage or advantage some people. Therefore, social class does matter in sports.
What is social stratification?
The characterisation, grouping or labelling of certain groups based on certain categories. Such groupings are inevitable and it affects the life chances and opportunities available to certain individuals. Social stratification creates inequalities amongst society.
How is social class defined?
Coakley and Pike (2009: 350) define social class in terms of groups that share similarities in 5 categories: income, wealth, occupation, social connections.
The most common definitions of social class, involve some sort of economic factor but also involves status in comparison to others. Social class prevents first level access to sport (costs) but also second level access (types of sports engaged in).
Social class is difficult to categorise and measure but the most common understanding is the lower, middle and upper class groupings (old understanding). This is typically based on economy and money.
Are there only three classifications? Some have begun to move away from traditional understandings. E.g. Goldthorpe’s class schema subdivides this 3 tiered approach into subclasses according to occupation. So does the National Statistics Socio-Economic Classification.
Savage et al (2013) developed the Great British Class Calculator which involves 7 different classes assessed according to income, occupation, activities, interests, music.
What is social mobility?
This is the idea that someone in a lower class can move around classes and move upwards to gain more capital and status. Social mobility for top earners, doesn’t really change. Those who are already in the elite, were kept there by their generational wealth (Barone and Mocetti, 2016).
Social mobility is due to an individual’s family’s past financial state which affects how high the social class ladder can be climbed.
What are Bourdieu’s types of capital?
Social class is complex. It is more than money, economics and family. It’s about who we engage with, our history and our culture thus social class affects what we can and can’t do in our everyday lives which affects volunteering, career aspirations and sports involvement.
Economic Capital - housing, money, physical possessions
Social Capital - friends, networks, connections
Cultural Capital - tastes, music, leisure, education, knowledge
Is Marcus Rashford MC or WC?
During Covid 19, the government ignored the fact that WC families couldn’t afford to feed their children as many families relied on schools for food e.g. breakfast clubs and FSMs. So, Rashford sent letter to government advocating them to feed and support these children.
He wrote this letter because he is from a WC background himself even though now, he is an international footballer with all this money and material possessions which means that he could be considered part of the MC. Economically, he is part of the elite, but socially and culturally, he is part of the WC e.g. his family and friends are WC, how he dresses and what he enjoys. As a result, it doesn’t necessarily mean he is part of the elite MC.
This example demonstrates the complexity in defining social class but also offers an example of social mobility.
How does social class affect participation in sport?
Working class individuals and those on lower incomes, are less likely to participate in sports.
Social class intersects with other inequalities so sports participation figures are not solely affected by social class. There are not just participation differences in social class. Ethnic minorities, females and those who are disabled are also less likely to engage in sports.
Why do people want to engage in sports in the first place?
Bourdieu says it is informed by their habitus. Habitus is a way of being informed by history, experiences, connections etc. it is informed by capital and it consequently informs our sporting preferences e.g. the WC are more likely to turn to football and the MC are more likely to turn to golf?
How does social class affect sporting preferences?
Those with most cultural and economic capital, regardless of gender, are likely to be involved in sports. Their tastes, knowledge and money allows them to engage in a wider variety. These people are less likely to do ‘prole’ sports such as football or boxing.
According to Bourdieu, the French upper class do tennis, skiing and golf whereas the French working class do boxing, weightlifting and football.
There is a paradox in sports involvement - those with the most economic and cultural capital are most engaged in sports overall but are also least engaged within certain prole sports.
Habitus influences preferences of sports which in turn, influence the perceived tastes of a certain class group. Horse racing is expensive so the WC can’t afford engage with it so it does not become part of the WC habitus to engage in it. As a result, this then informs others to not engage with horse racing, reinforcing their habitus. Ideas regarding habitus take the approach that individuals don’t have free autonomous choice to engage in whatever sport they want to as their behaviour is ultimately governed and determined by habitus.
Ideas of habitus come from Bourdieu, 1978: 820 and 834.
