Sport and Gender 2022

Keynote reveal!

Daniel Alsarve

University of Örebro, Sweden

Sport, gender and violence: Changes and continuities, connections and complexities

November 16th, 14.30 -15.30

Presenter Bio:

Daniel Alsarve is a PhD in history and a docent/associate professor in sport science. Since 2019, he has been employed as a postdoc researcher at Örebro University. Alsarve’s research interests are mainly focused on issues related to sports, gender (men and masculinities), violence, democracy, and power from the early 20th century onwards. Theoretically, inspiration is collected from Connell’s and Fraser’s work on gender. In the project ‘Ice hockey in change: masculinity ideals and violence norms in Swedish hockey, from approximately 1965 up until today (2019-22) questions about masculinity ideals and violence norms are asked and identified and how such ideals and norms have changed over time. Alsarve has a specific interest in sport violence, in a broad sense, and during 2022-23 he has received funding to research how the Swedish sports movement can increase its role in preventing men’s violence against women.

At present, Alsarve’s teaching mainly consists of supervision at bachelor’s and master’s levels in sport science and in the Sport Management Programme. He has been the editor of the Swedish peer review journal Sports, History and Society (2016-2021) and is a member of the Swedish Sports History Association. Alsarve is part of CVS (Centre for Violence Studies) and ReSHAPE (Research in sport, health and physical education) and he, together with Sam de-Boise and Zara Saeidzadeh, runs the RGCSMM (Research Group of Critical Studies on Men and Masculinities).

Presentation Synopsis:

The presentation draws on published and ongoing research on sport, gender, and violence, how these ‘processes’ are interlinked and how they connect and change over time. A specific focus will also be put on men and masculinities and the progressive and destructive aspects of violence in sport. Using examples from (mainly) the Swedish and Nordic sport context, I will also discuss implications for sport institutions and how preventative measures are sometimes needed.

Readings:

Alsarve, D. (2021). Historicizing Machoism in Swedish Ice Hockey. International Journal of the History of Sport, 38 (16), 1688-1709. https://doi.org/10.1080/09523367.2021.2022649

Alsarve, D. (2021). The need for a violence prevention programme in ice hockey: a case study on how hegemonic masculinity supports and challenges violent behaviour in Swedish ice hockey. European Sport Management Quarterly, 21 (2), 218-236. https://doi.org/10.1080/16184742.2020.1737956

Alsarve, D. & Angelin, M. (2020). ‘It’s freer and easier in a changing room, because the barriers disappear…’: A case study of masculinity ideals, language and social status amongst Swedish ice hockey players. European Journal for Sport and Society, 17 (1), 26-46. https://doi.org/10.1080/16138171.2019.1706239

Alsarve, D. & Tjønndal, A. (2020). ‘The Nordic female fighter’: Exploring women’s participation in mixed martial arts in Norway and Sweden. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 55 (4), 471-489. https://doi.org/10.1177/10126902188223