Focused Discussions
Aarhus University
Efficacy of Bicycling Education: An International Comparison
Focused Discussion William Bartley
This research creates an economic efficacy model of bicycling education through comparative analysis. Specifically, bicycling education and encouragement programs by the American League of Bicyclists and other American bicycling promoters are studied and categorized. These are compared to the education and encouragement programs of internationally known bicycling promoters and local governments in the Netherlands and Canada, including for young children in schools. The different organizations/programs have varying methodologies, data collection and perceived outcomes. These are compared through both qualitative and quantitative measurements, including econometric analysis. In the end, efficacy results are produced to judge whether specific objectives have been achieved through a particular bicycling education program and whether its success or failure arises from implementation processes or through a larger cultural lens (of where it’s instituted). This can focus discussion for promoting different models of bicycling education as different constituencies will favor various costs and outcomes. There is much already published of the cost and benefits of bicycling, but this research adds a more focused analysis on the use/cost of bicycle education programs and what they accomplish for individuals and societies.
The Invisible Injury : Mental Health In Sports
Focused Discussion Natalie Graves
Student-athletes have a greater risk of mental health problems than their non-athlete counterparts yet are less likely to take advantage of mental health services (Gulliver, Griffiths, & Christenses, 2012). This discussion will highlight mental health risk that athletes may experience and how society views high profile athletes with mental illness. Case studies of elite athletes will be presented; then there will be an active exploration of how pressure, social media, sex, and race are contributing factors.
Who Really Won This Fight? : Hamia Chérif versus Hogan Bassey, Paris, 24 June 1957
Focused Discussion Anene Ejikeme
In 1957 the Nigerian Hogan Bassey defeated the Algerian-born French subject Hamia Chérif to become the world featherweight champion. At the time of the fight, Nigeria was a British colony and Algeria’s brutal war of independence was being fought. Typically, the war is presented as a battle between, on the one side, Algerians, represented by the Front National of Algeria (FLN), and on the other, France. However, there were many groups on both sides: war is complicated and this one was no exception. The key question I address in this work-in-progress is: Did Chérif "throw" the fight as some (now?) claim? To answer this central question, there are a number of critical questions that must be posed, including about the nature of the evidence. When did these rumors first begin to circulate? My paper also traces the complicated nature of each boxer's "national" identity.
Sport and Democracy: The Polemic Nature of Agonistic Social Practices
Focused Discussion Breana Mc Coy
Although consistently cited as a tenet of good governance in sport, the application of the principle democracy has been rather limited in sport. Exemplifying the relationship between democracy, sport, and philosophy by developing our understanding of the concepts polemos and agon, via conceptual analysis, can help to enhance our experience with these agonistic practices. Not all social practices are, or need to be, agonistic, but it is important to do our best to understand and take care of those essentially agonistic social practices, in order to preserve their character and enable our existence to develop in a more free and enriching way. If we are to accept that democracy and sport are inherently related, then we might consider the implications of approaching sport in a more democratic fashion. What impact could such an approach have on the sport experiences of athletes? What are the implications for governing systems? What would be the role of stakeholder education?
