Understanding the Relationships between Women and Sport: The Contribution of British Feminist Approaches in Leisure and Cultural Studies

The paper argues that because of the partial development of sports sociology in Britain, academic work on women and sport has been rooted in leisure and cultural studies, or has reacted from recreational provision policy. Feminist writers have therefore approached the area by making criticisms of both theory and policy making within leisure studies, and offering radical feminist perspectives for change. The areas of cultural and media studies have also provided useful frameworks within which feminists may work, in analysing sport as a popular cultural form. The contributions of feminist work to the fields of leisure studies, cultural studies and recreation policy are assessed in relation to their fresh understandings of women and sport.