di Bryan C. Clift e Alan Tomlinson, Softpower, Soccer, Supremacy: The Chinese Dream di J.A. Mangan, Peter Horton e Christian Tagsold, e-Sport and Nationalism in China di Zhouxiang Lu e Fan Hong

Abstract

A discursive review of Populism in Sport, Leisure, and Popular Culture by Bryan C. Clift and Alan Tomlinson, Softpower, Soccer, Supremacy: The Chinese Dream by J.A. Mangan, Peter Horton and Christian Tagsold, and Sport and Nationalism in China by Zhouxiang Lu and Fan Hong, requires a thorough examination of their central themes, analytical approaches and critical contributions to our understanding of the intersection of sport, culture and politics. Collectively, these books emphasise the transformative power of sport as a cultural phenomenon and political tool, thoroughly analysing how sport becomes a mechanism for promoting ideologies, constructing identities and negotiating power on a local, national and global scale. The insights offered by these works are not limited to sports enthusiasts but extend to scholars in sociology, political science, and cultural studies, as they reveal the profound social implications of sports in contemporary and historical contexts. This in-depth review critically examines their arguments, methodologies and thematic interconnections, highlighting the significance of their findings and addressing their limitations.

Populism in Sport, Leisure, and Popular Culture by Bryan C. Clift and Alan Tomlinson is a starting point for examining how populism finds expression in cultural practices and public life. Populism is presented as a political phenomenon and a cultural force that permeates leisure and entertainment. The editors argue that sport and popular culture are fertile grounds for manifesting populist ideologies because they resonate with the emotions and identities of the masses. Divided into three sections, the book moves fluidly between theoretical explorations, country case studies and specific analyses of Donald Trump’s use of sport as a platform for populist politics. This structure ensures that the book is conceptually rigorous and empirically grounded.

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Keywords

• Populism
• Sport
• Discursive review
• Leisure
• Culture

How to Cite

della Sala, V. (2024). Populism in sport, leisure, and popular culture [Book review].LEISURE STUDIES. https://doi.org/10.1080/02614367.2024.2436187

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