Cover -- Sporting Females -- Contents -- Tables -- Acknowledgements -- Introduction -- Chapter 1 Theories of sports -- INTRODUCTION -- THE PROBLEM OF SEXUAL DIFFERENCE -- POPULAR IDEAS ABOUT SPORTS -- POPULAR IDEAS ABOUT GENDER -- ETHNOGRAPHIC RESEARCH -- FIGURATIONAL SOCIOLOGY -- MARXISM -- NEO-MARXIST APPROACHES: ECONOMISM -- STRUCTURALIST MARXISM: THEORIES OF REPRODUCTION -- CULTURAL MARXISM: HEGEMONY THEORY -- Chapter 2 Sports feminism -- FEMINIST PERSPECTIVES -- EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY -- SEPARATISM -- POSITIVE ACTION -- UNNECESSARY DIVISIONS -- CAPITALIST RELATIONS AND GENDER RELATIONS -- GENDER AND CLASS -- MAKING WOMEN'S SPORTS POLITICAL -- AGENCY AND CONSTRAINT -- DAMAGED MEN -- STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE -- Chapter 3 Nature and culture -- INTRODUCTION -- CONSTRUCTING DIFFERENCES -- THE NATURE OF WOMAN -- THERAPEUTIC EXERCISE -- CAPITALISM AND BOURGEOIS PROSPERITY -- VICTORIAN FAMILISM -- CONSPICUOUS RECREATION -- FEMALE EDUCATION AND EXERCISE FOR GIRLS -- Chapter 4 The legitimation of female exercise -- ELITE DAY SCHOOLS -- PUBLIC BOARDING SCHOOLS -- HEALTH AND MORALITY -- EXERCISE FOR WORKING-CLASS GIRLS -- THE LEGEND OF MADAME ÖSTERBERG -- FEMINIST CONCERNS AND LIMITATIONS -- CLASS RELATIONS -- THE GROWTH OF A NEW PROFESSION -- A PROCESS OF STRUGGLE -- Chapter 5 Recreative and competitive sports -- INTRODUCTION -- ELITE SPORTS -- SPORTING SENSUALITY -- DEALING WITH OPPOSITION -- RATIONALIZED SPORTS -- THE POLY CLUBS -- THE CONSTANT FOCUS ON BIOLOGY -- PROBLEMS OF DEMOCRATIZATION -- THE PROBLEM OF LEISURE -- Chapter 6 The inter-war years -- INTRODUCTION -- EXCITEMENT AND SPECTACLE -- FEMALE SPORTS AND CLASS -- SPORTS IN SCHOOLS -- ORGANIZATION AND GROWTH -- STRUGGLING FOR RESOURCES -- FOLLOWING THE MEN -- FURTHER EXPANSION -- STRUGGLING FOR WOMEN'S ATHLETICS -- THE 'NATURAL' BODY -- WOMEN'S BODIES AND THE STATE -- INCREASED DEMOCRATIZATION -- WORKERS' SPORTS FOR WOMEN -- PLAYING MEN'S SPORTS -- 'LOW-LIFE' SPORTS -- CONCLUSION -- Chapter 7 Femininity or 'musculinity'? -- INTRODUCTION -- GENDER-AN ORGANIZING PRINCIPLE -- GIRLS AND BOYS COME OUT TO PLAY -- GENDER DIFFERENCES IN CHILDREN'S WEEKLIES -- GENDER DIVISIONS IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS -- PHYSICAL EDUCATION IN SECONDARY SCHOOLS -- BREAKING TRADITIONS -- DROPPING OUT -- THE CULT OF ADOLESCENT FEMININITY -- THE POWER OF GIRLS' WEEKLIES -- IMAGE-MAKING AND THE SEXUALIZED FEMALE BODY -- BODY MAINTENANCE AND 'THE LOOK' -- OBJECTIFYING THE FEMALE BODY -- STEREOTYPED FEMININITY -- TECHNIQUES OF SEXUALIZATION -- SPORTS AND EROTICIZATION -- REDEFINING SPORTING IMAGES -- HETEROSEXUAL FEMININITY AND THE FEAR OF MASCULINIZATION -- CONCLUSION -- Chapter 8 Gender relations of power -- INTRODUCTION -- GENDER RELATIONS AND THE STATE -- EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES IN THE USA -- TARGETING WOMEN IN SPORTS -- INTERNATIONALIZATION OF WOMEN AND SPORTS -- GENDER RELATIONS AND THE HOME -- R
Summary
An outstanding contribution to feminist analysis of sport from the nineteenth century to the present day the author presents sport as a battle for control of the physical body and an important area for feminist intervention
Analysis
Sports Participation of Women History
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references (pages 292-320) and indexes