Sport for health implementation by voluntary sport clubs

Maikel Waardenburg, Søren Bennike

Abstract

By comparatively examining sport for health implementation, this article advances research on the wider social role of sport and sport policy implementation. Drawing on two in-depth interpretive case studies this article traces the working mechanisms and limits of sport for health policy implementation by voluntary sport clubs. The article advances from policy implementation literature and connects this body of literature with the institutional logics approach. Relying on document analysis, observations and interview data, we scrutinize the design principles and implementation process of two sport for health policy programmes in the Netherlands and Denmark. The analysis shows that a health logic is dominant in sport for health programmes, while voluntary sport clubs operate predominantly from a community logic. The article identifies both working mechanisms and limits of the implementation of sport for health by voluntary sport clubs. We argue that 1) voluntary sport clubs are able to combine a health and community logic, 2) the relative strength of the public health logic affects the clubs’ willingness to blend it into their community logic and 3) that process criteria are formative to the (lack of) success of policy implementation.
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationSport, Discriminations and Inclusion: Challenges to Face (Book of Abstracts) : 15th European Association for Sociology of Sport Conference. Bordeaux, France, 23rd - 26th May 2018
Number of pages1
Place of PublicationBordeaux
PublisherEuropean Association for the Sociology of Sport
Publication date2018
Pages33
Publication statusPublished - 2018
EventEuropean Association for Sociology of Sport Conference: Sport, Discriminations and Inclusion: Challenges to Face - Université de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France
Duration: 23 May 201826 May 2018
Conference number: 15

Conference

ConferenceEuropean Association for Sociology of Sport Conference
Number15
LocationUniversité de Bordeaux
Country/TerritoryFrance
CityBordeaux
Period23/05/201826/05/2018

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