{"title":"Does the COVID-pandemic affect the educational and financial inequality in weekly sport participation in the Netherlands?","authors":"Malou Grubben, Remco Hoekman, Gerbert Kraaykamp","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2155867","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2155867","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This paper explores the impact of the COVID-pandemic on educational and financial inequality in level of weekly sport participation in the Netherlands. Restrictions due to the COVID-pandemic resulted in several barriers for people to continue sport participation. Lower educated people and individuals with financial problems are expected to have relatively few resources to adapt to the COVID restrictions, and therefore, more likely will decrease their level of weekly sport participation. Using high-quality data from the Dutch Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences (LISS) panel, we are able to compare individual sport behaviour before and during the COVID-pandemic. Our findings suggest that the level of weekly sport participation of lower educated people and individuals with financial problems decreased more strongly during the COVID-pandemic. This implies that indeed the COVID-pandemic resulted in increasing educational and financial inequality in sport participation. With these results, our study contributes to a body of knowledge on the broader societal impact of COVID on issues of social exclusion. It may also inform policymakers to critically assess and intensify sport promotion policies directed at vulnerable groups in society.</p>","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"7-25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10041977/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"9224689","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on sports-based youth development: the case of the rugby association ‘Rebonds!’","authors":"J-C Basson, L. Salle","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2161702","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2161702","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on organisations that work with economically disadvantaged youth such as Rebonds! [Pick yourself up!], an association that provides educational rugby programmes to underprivileged young people in Toulouse, France. During the pandemic, this association experienced social change in the form of a double movement. First, its actors sought to preserve the fundamentals of the socialisation process that structures their work, which encourages young people to open up to the world and engage their bodies, while also introducing a new range of socialisation activities to address precarity and social inequality in healthcare. Second, because it was able to adapt its programmes to environmental constraints and remain strongly connected to all its partners, the association came to be perceived as a strong, stable, and seasoned community resource. At the same time, Rebonds! was able, during this period, to strengthen its legitimacy and the recognition it received from public institutions.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"76 - 89"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2023-01-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41787185","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Tennis coaching in China before and during COVID-19. The mediatisation of a precarious profession","authors":"Giovannipaolo Ferrari, P. Diana, Y. Tan","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2155869","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2155869","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In China, due to the large-scale lockdowns and strict prevention policies of COVID-19, Chinese tennis coaches have started to open a new front of their career by offering online tennis training on social media platforms. This study introduces mediatisation theory as a theoretical framework to investigate the mediatisation process of tennis coaching on social media platforms in China. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected to analyse three dimensions of Chinese tennis coaches' professional and living conditions: the career trajectory of tennis coaches, the mediatisation of the profession of tennis coaching, and the financial crisis faced by tennis clubs and the tennis industry. We monitored the BiliBili channels of the most popular tennis vloggers on BiliBili and analysed their media practices. We also collected data from job search websites and conducted in-depth interviews with 30 Chinese tennis coaches. The findings are as follows: The new approach has gradually gained the support of coaches thanks to its advantages such as flexibility, accessibility, self-promotion and marketing strategies. The mediatisation of tennis training has accelerated the popularisation of tennis in China, as have relevant government regulations regarding self-promotion platforms.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"41 - 57"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41590936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lampedusa, football and COVID-19: transitions at the border and the role of sport","authors":"Alessio Norrito, Carolynne Mason","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2155868","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2155868","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Lampedusa is a remote Italian island, known as a border zone and European point of entry for many asylum-seekers coming by boat from North Africa. This research seeks to understand the value of sport in Lampedusa for its local and migrant population, in the context of the global COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with experts from the local community. Results show that sport in Lampedusa is often synonymous with football. Football has always been informally practiced in the island but has proved to be of practical social value to both asylum-seekers and the local population. The pandemic has however interrupted the playful interactions occurring between asylum-seekers and the local youth. Findings show that the interactions and connections enabled through football can be fundamental for asylum-seekers to find direction in their journey but since the start of the pandemic, these interactions have become limited, and serve exclusively as temporary moments of relief. These changes have also impacted the local population, anxious about the transition occurring within the COVID-19 pandemic, resulting in worries about the condition of the asylum-seeking population who are proceeding in their European journey without the assistance of the locals.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"26 - 40"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42317740","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Klára Kovács, Zs. Békési, Krisztina Győri, Dávid Papp
{"title":"Gender differences in the characteristics of gaming and esport aspirations in Hungary","authors":"Klára Kovács, Zs. Békési, Krisztina Győri, Dávid Papp","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2157473","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2157473","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT In our paper, we present the research findings of our empirical survey conducted in Hungary related to the gender differences in the use, motivations, habits, and aspirations in video games and esports. The most important theoretical foundations of our research are provided by the critical feminist theory and, within that, the critical agenda and the feminist cultural studies (Birrell, 2000). These writings raise awareness of the fact that sport still has extremely masculine dimensions that have preserved the original uneven distribution of power for centuries. We consider esports as such a domain. Our research question relates to the gender proportions in video gaming, and we include the characteristics of the games played and the motivations of the players in our observations. In order to achieve the desired data, an online inventory was used (N = 338). Our results highlight that although modernisation and technical development profoundly transformed and determined our daily life, including our attitude to free time and sports, regardless of gender, social and geographical situation, the changes at the same time bring about certain forms of inequalities.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"18 1","pages":"58 - 75"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45317659","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
A. Brumwell, G. B. Babatunde, Sonjelle Shilton, Jade Tso, Michael W. Wilson, Noeline Xulu, J. Adam, M. Marks, G. Martínez-Pérez
{"title":"Self-testing for COVID-19 in Durban and Eastern Cape, South Africa: a qualitative inquiry targeting decision-takers","authors":"A. Brumwell, G. B. Babatunde, Sonjelle Shilton, Jade Tso, Michael W. Wilson, Noeline Xulu, J. Adam, M. Marks, G. Martínez-Pérez","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2147986","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2147986","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Innovative diagnostic solutions are essential to improve COVID-19 case detection and slow its spread in resource-constrained settings. To understand how South African communities may utilise rapid SARS-CoV-2 antigen self-testing and react to self-test results, we conducted a qualitative study, involving semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, of healthcare workers, representatives of civil society groups, and potential self-testing implementors. A sex- and location-sensitive thematic analysis approach was used to assess how 52 decision-takers on self-testing roll-out in South Africa perceive the value and utility of this innovative diagnostic approach. Informants suggested South Africans might value a device that allows them to self-test in private, at their own convenience, while avoiding the risk of social stigma and having to wait for COVID-19 test results in a facility. They also emphasised the need for awareness and sensitisation campaigns and to ensure pre-/post-self-test counselling services are easily accessible. Collaboration with traditional leaders and community-based organisations would improve results communication and linkage to counselling and confirmatory testing. SARS-CoV-2 self-testing was perceived to be acceptable to a population already sensitised to the use of HIV self-testing, being a decentralised solution that would help reduce the incidence of COVID-19 and prevent any further deterioration of socio-economic indicators.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"17 1","pages":"450 - 467"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"44671330","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Lessons from the UK’s handling of Covid-19 for the future of scientific advice to government: a contribution to the UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry","authors":"S. Michie, Philip Ball, James Wilsdon, R. West","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2150284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2150284","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT Despite strong expertise and a sophisticated scientific advisory system, the UK’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic has been, and continues to be, weak in terms of preventing death and illness, and damage to the economy. This article argues that an important reason for this failure has been that the policies of the UK government have at critical times failed to take adequate account of scientific evidence, while at the same time attempts have been made to blame scientists for resulting policy failures. This paper analyses the role of scientific advice in addressing Covid-19 in the UK and draws three lessons for how such expertise can be better deployed in the future. It argues that: (1) Government scientific advisors and advisory bodies should be more independent of political influence and interference; (2) Government scientific advisors should be empowered to challenge misrepresentation and misuse by decision-makers of the scientific evidence, and undermining of public-health policies; and (3) Government scientific advice should be more transparent and advisors should engage more proactively with the public. Acting on these lessons will be important for ongoing handling of the current crisis, for the current UK Covid-19 Public Inquiry, and for the UK’s preparedness for future crises.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"17 1","pages":"418 - 433"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41981312","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Social and private goods: the duality of unpaid internships","authors":"A. Morrison","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2028000","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2028000","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT This review paper offers a political philosophy perspective on the place that unpaid internships occupy within the UK’s graduate labour market. By reviewing a range of sociologically-oriented academic and sources, the paper concludes that we lack an understanding of the deeper historical and philosophical roots of the contentions surrounding this area of work. To address this, the review locates unremunerated internships at the intersections of two opposing liberal philosophies in relation to work: an egalitarian and pluralist strain wherein a job is a key social good; classic political economy in which an individual’s labour is a private good. The paper argues that this contending duality is the origin both of the criticisms that unpaid internships attract for perpetuating social elitism and their persistence in the face of such criticisms.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"17 1","pages":"528 - 540"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"41901685","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Editorial: Contemporary social science open access (CSS open)","authors":"David Bailey","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2161237","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2161237","url":null,"abstract":"Welcome to this fifth issue of Volume 17, which is the third time we have run CSS Open, the completely open access (OA) issue of Contemporary Social Science. CSS Open has been an exciting development for the journal, both in terms of enabling more OA publishing and offering a ‘non-themed’ issue in addition to our usual special issues, made up of original research from disciplines across the social sciences. These OA online-only issues, published from 2020 onwards, have been developed in recognition of the shift taking place in publishing towards work which is open, accessible, impactful and inclusive. Many of these CSS Open papers have been widely read and highly cited, such as Breakwell (2020) on ‘Mistrust, uncertainty and health risks’, Van Der Zwet et al. (2020) on ‘Brexit, Europe and Othering’, Connolly et al. (2021) on ‘Governing ‘levelling-up’ in the UK: challenges and prospects’ and Grant and Kara (2021) on ‘Considering the Autistic advantage in qualitative research: the strengths of Autistic researchers’ amongst many others (with apologies to many other impactful CSS Open papers). All new non-themed OA articles are immediately added to a dedicated online-only issue, CSS Open, which enables all readers, everywhere, to find the latest open access articles in one place. Contributions to CSS Open are welcome in any appropriate form, including critical essays, reviews of significant topics, qualitative or quantitative empirical studies, including case studies and large-scale statistical analyses. Well documented examples of social science in action, composite reviews of sets of books and other publications are also welcome. Papers will normally be in the 5,000 to 7,000 word range.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"17 1","pages":"413 - 417"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49599471","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Covid-19 and the crisis of food insecurity in the UK","authors":"Hartwig Pautz, Damian Dempsey","doi":"10.1080/21582041.2022.2044069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1080/21582041.2022.2044069","url":null,"abstract":"ABSTRACT\u0000 Over the past decade, food insecurity has been increasing across the United Kingdom. The 2020/21 Covid-19 global pandemic has further aggravated food insecurity. This article examines how Covid-19 affected food insecurity through, first, a review of existing literature on the UK and, second, through presenting research results from Scotland with a focus on four groups considered to be specifically vulnerable to food insecurity – namely people with a disability, the homeless, young carers, and (destitute) asylum seekers. The article finds that Covid-19 impacted food insecurity in three ways: (1) it led to rising need driven mainly by income reductions and income crises; (2) it created new and intensified food access challenges; and (3) it had a significant impact on the operation of food banks and their important ‘wrap-around’ services (e.g. benefits advice). The article concludes with a discussion of the role of the social sciences in understanding the food insecurity crisis during Covid-19. In summary, the article adds to the developing understanding of the consequences of Covid-19 on food insecurity, the effectiveness of policy measures and the role that social sciences can play in times of crisis.","PeriodicalId":46484,"journal":{"name":"Contemporary Social Science","volume":"17 1","pages":"434 - 449"},"PeriodicalIF":2.4,"publicationDate":"2022-12-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47541551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}