Thursday, May 03, 2007
An unintentional journey: reflecting on a research pathway
There is perhaps, nothing new in the observation that the most stimulating and rewarding research activities are frequently those arrived at accidentally. It was during preparation for a lecture on the ‘mainstreaming’ of disability sport, in spring 2005, that I stumbled across a rich vein of information on the use of physical activity by international NGOs, to assist rehabilitation of amputees in post-conflict situations. This led to preliminary research that rapidly confirmed the potential for me to synthesise my interest in the relationship between physical activity and human development, with my previous research concerning foreign policy discourses as they relate to international sport.
My journey over the past two years has resulted in engagement with the development community through a range of conference experiences and face to face meetings. I was invited to join UKIDSA (UK International Development through Sport Alliance) Wider Reference Group in January 2006. My conference programme has included:
September 2005: European Association of Sports Management conference in Gateshead. Made contact with UK Sport international development officers. I presented a conference paper entitled: Sport and Development Assistance – Extending the boundaries of international aid,
December 2005: United Nations conference on Sport and Development in Magglingen, Switzerland. This offered the opportunity to network with representatives from a range of sports organisations engaged in international development programmes.
September 2006: British Society of Sports Historians conference in Lancaster. My decision to adopt an historical approach to my research resulted in my delivery of a conference paper entitled: Whose Burden, Whose Benefit? Sport development assistance in colonial and post-colonial contexts.
November 2006: Development Studies Association conference in Reading. Opportunity to network with a range of people from the international development community. The theme of the conference was the private sector in development. I presented a conference paper entitled: Private Motive, Public Good - Sports organisations and the international development agenda.
March 2007: International Studies Association conference in Chicago (Illinois) Part sponsored by UK Sport International Development department. I was involved in the organisation of two Panels on sport and development assistance. I presented a conference paper entitled Disability Sport and the Politics of Development.
My first published paper from this programme of research is entitled ‘A Question of Motives: Reciprocity, Sport and Development Assistance. It appears in the March 2007 edition of the Routledge journal European Sports Management Quarterly. A second, using the title from my September 2006 conference paper, has been submitted for consideration to the Routledge journal Sport in History. I am currently working on a third journal article, for submission to a journal dealing with disability and development, in the early summer. I was involved in the submission to Palgrave in December, of a proposal for a joint edited book on sport and development. We were delighted to receive a contract offer for the book on 25th April. The target for submission of the manuscript is spring 2008.
In-house journal
My research over the past two years has caused me to re-visit the issue of conducting inter-disciplinary investigations. This has informed our proposal to launch our in-house inter-disciplinary journal Physical Activity and Human Development in the summer of this year. Our Dean of School Sam Peach has been very supportive of this initiative and I am currently working with my colleague David Harris to prepare the framework for the journal. Colleagues across the School have been contributing enthusiastically to this project.
The Promising Researcher scheme has certainly provided valuable assistance for this programme of research. Most importantly, it has acted as a focal point and catalyst for engaging in the research process. My thanks to all involved in supporting me through this scheme.
Aaron Beacom
My journey over the past two years has resulted in engagement with the development community through a range of conference experiences and face to face meetings. I was invited to join UKIDSA (UK International Development through Sport Alliance) Wider Reference Group in January 2006. My conference programme has included:
September 2005: European Association of Sports Management conference in Gateshead. Made contact with UK Sport international development officers. I presented a conference paper entitled: Sport and Development Assistance – Extending the boundaries of international aid,
December 2005: United Nations conference on Sport and Development in Magglingen, Switzerland. This offered the opportunity to network with representatives from a range of sports organisations engaged in international development programmes.
September 2006: British Society of Sports Historians conference in Lancaster. My decision to adopt an historical approach to my research resulted in my delivery of a conference paper entitled: Whose Burden, Whose Benefit? Sport development assistance in colonial and post-colonial contexts.
November 2006: Development Studies Association conference in Reading. Opportunity to network with a range of people from the international development community. The theme of the conference was the private sector in development. I presented a conference paper entitled: Private Motive, Public Good - Sports organisations and the international development agenda.
March 2007: International Studies Association conference in Chicago (Illinois) Part sponsored by UK Sport International Development department. I was involved in the organisation of two Panels on sport and development assistance. I presented a conference paper entitled Disability Sport and the Politics of Development.
My first published paper from this programme of research is entitled ‘A Question of Motives: Reciprocity, Sport and Development Assistance. It appears in the March 2007 edition of the Routledge journal European Sports Management Quarterly. A second, using the title from my September 2006 conference paper, has been submitted for consideration to the Routledge journal Sport in History. I am currently working on a third journal article, for submission to a journal dealing with disability and development, in the early summer. I was involved in the submission to Palgrave in December, of a proposal for a joint edited book on sport and development. We were delighted to receive a contract offer for the book on 25th April. The target for submission of the manuscript is spring 2008.
In-house journal
My research over the past two years has caused me to re-visit the issue of conducting inter-disciplinary investigations. This has informed our proposal to launch our in-house inter-disciplinary journal Physical Activity and Human Development in the summer of this year. Our Dean of School Sam Peach has been very supportive of this initiative and I am currently working with my colleague David Harris to prepare the framework for the journal. Colleagues across the School have been contributing enthusiastically to this project.
The Promising Researcher scheme has certainly provided valuable assistance for this programme of research. Most importantly, it has acted as a focal point and catalyst for engaging in the research process. My thanks to all involved in supporting me through this scheme.
Aaron Beacom
# posted by A Sociologist : 7:51 AM
