The Social Sciences of Sport: Assumptions, Associations, and Conferences

New national and international societies that examine sports have been created and developed in Europe as well as on other continents. These societies, which examine the complex phenomena, issues, and questions concerning sports as seen from the different scientific points of view, are rooted in two main research directions: the natural sciences on the one hand, and the social sciences on the other.

The authors of the paper point to the significant and ongoing development of the social sciences of sport. In particular, the authors discuss the development of the sociology of sport, philosophy of sport, psychology of sport, pedagogy of sport, history of physical culture, sports and Olympics, the organization and management of sport, social and cultural foundations of tourism and recreation, social relationships associated with sports training and tactics, as well as the humanistic theories of Eastern martial arts.

The authors have listed several national, continental, and international scientific organizations that unite representatives of the aforementioned disciplines. However, the authors’ main focus is on theoretical and organizational assumptions of the International Society for the Social Sciences of Sport, an organization founded in 2009.

The society’s main objectives are to unite the particular social sciences of sport in one organized and scientific body (while maintaining the existing differences between the sciences); to enable the annual debate and exchange of views on the substantive and methodological matters; as well as to provide joint scientific publications connected with common work of the group and with the journal Physical Culture and Sport. Studies and Research.

The authors discuss the research and publishing activities of the Polish Society for Social Sciences of Sport, introducing the organization as an example of any future organization that could cooperate with the International Society for the Social Sciences of Sport.