Epidemiology: Open Access
Open Access

Abstract

T his talk reflects an approach to the social epidemiology inherent in the study of violence that gives rise to sport and violence in leisure settings. In examining the potential factors that are antecedent to violent sport and leisure episodes, particularly in North and South American and European societies, the major research question posed is: What are the key exploratory factors that lead to an epidemiological study of episodic sport and leisure oriented violence? It has been noted ?A strong-and-excusive-sense of belonging to one group can in many cases carry with it the perception of distance and divergence from other groups?. This sense of belonging, or cultural ideology, can also lead to carrying these differences to the point of violence. As one explores the ideology or ?the body of doctrine, myth, belief, etc. that guides an individual, social movement, institution, class, or large group?, it can be documented that these belief systems can clash. In other words, ?the belief systems that create a country?s ideology, or personality form an ideological framework for many activities that are present in a cultural or sport atmosphere?. The resulting social policies that evolve can be manifested in gender relations, leisure norms, traditions at home and work, and connections across cultures. Sport and leisure value systems have been evident with extreme change of social orders as experienced in the end of apartheid in South Africa; however, these same systems have been known to evoke exclusion, violence, and destruction. The purpose of this exploratory research was to ascertain potential factors associated with and leading to a culture of sport violence occurring in the broadest context of leisure service delivery. For example, as stated in Wilcox, sport in the United States is the ?nation?s dominant system of cultural values?, it is also the scene of an epidemic of violent outcomes from injury to death. As such, the exploration of sport violence as an outcome resulting from certain causal factors is an important line of inquiry to address ways to improve this health issue. Through an extensive review of research literature, content analysis of violence episodes, and review of international, and national policy norms, an preliminary set of factors is suggested for the study of violence in sport from an epidemiological perspective as noted: 1) anger-aggression outcome continuum, 2) criminal violence in relation to game violence, 3) school violence with respect to bullying and hazing, 4) family violence as related to domestic violence, and 5) sport leisure violence in relation to community violence. It is through an integrated study of social epidemiological factors that the effort to address and eradicate violence in sport and similar issues may be addressed.

Biography

Lynn M Jamieson is a Full Professor and former Chair of the Department of Recreation, Park, and Tourism Studies at Indiana University. She was formerly Assistant Chair of the Department and Coordinator and Professor in the Recreation Administration program at California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. In addition to academic appointments, she has served in administrative capacities in three park and recreation departments: Corpus Christi, Texas, San Diego, California and Johnson County, Kansas. She is co-author of six texts and author of numerous articles.