Historically, sport has been used to further the agenda of colonial projects. Many of these projects occurred under the auspices and direction of religious organizations: for example, Christianity and athletics at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, or the “reformative” impulses of the YMCA’s work with immigrant populations in the US, as well as its missionary activity abroad. More recently, work in the area of sport for development and peace has been implicated, as sport is often a tool for religious NGO’s and mission organizations. Thus, the purpose of this panel is to offer a forum for scholarship on religion and sport, with particular attention to notions of colonialism, broadly interpreted. General work on sport and religion will be considered, but preference will be given to presentations that tie in to the conference theme. Topics might include: sport, mission work, and colonialism; religion, colonialism, and sport for development and peace; the “colonial” shape of religion and sport scholarship generally; or issues of power and representation for religious sport organizations (e.g., Global Sports Chaplaincy).
Presenters: Andrew Meyer Danielle Lavoie Steven Waller Robin Kietlinski Umer Hussain & George Cunningham
Friday November 8, 2019 11:00am - 12:15pm EST
Albemarle Hall