Despite the importance of sport as a social, economic and political institution, research into sport and social capital has not been extensive. Sport and Social Capital is the first book to examine this increasingly high profile area in detail. It explores the ways in which sport contributes to the creation, development, maintenance and, in some cases, diminution of social capital. Written by an internationally renowned author team who are leading figures in this area of study, this engaging and far-reaching text brings leading research from around the world into one comprehensively edited volume. Themes covered in the book include: education, gender, policy, community, youth sport, diversity and many more. It is essential reading for sport management, sport development and sport sociology students around the globe and offers fascinating and invaluable insight to interested stakeholders from industry, community and government.

Matthew Nicholson, Russell Hoye

1. Sport and social capital: An introduction Part I: Concepts and contexts 2. Avoiding the numbers game: Social theory, policy and sports role in the art of relationship building 3. Sport-in-development: Development for and through sport? 4. Locating social capital in sport policy by Russell Hoye and Matthew Nicholson; Chapter 5: Narrowing the gap through sport, education and social capital? Part II: Clubs and community sport organisations 6. Community sport networks 7. Voluntary sport clubs: The potential for the development of social capital by Chris Auld; Chapter 8: Community sport/recreation members and social capital measures in Sweden and Australia 9. Volunteering in community sport organisations: Implications for social capital Part III: Sport and social capital in action 10. Sport's ambiguous relationship with social capital: The contribution of national governing bodies of sport 11. Public policies, social capital and voluntary sport 12. Race equality and sport networks: Social capital links 13. Stepping into community? The impact of youth sport volunteering on young people's social capital 14. Soccer and social capital in Australia: Social networks in transition 15. Sport facilities as social capital