Sport, History and Heritage: an investigation into the public representation of sport
Lead Research Organisation:
De Montfort University
Department Name: UNLISTED
Abstract
Sport is an integral part of British culture and an important aspect of modern life. Although this importance has been recognised in academic history, in the growing and related fields of heritage and museum studies it has yet to be fully appreciated and brought into interaction with historical studies. The synergies and inter-relationships between history, heritage and museology still need to be explored and the multi- disciplinary potential released.
The growth of interest in both sport and heritage over recent years has been significant. Ideologically they convey powerful messages, responsible for shaping our understanding of sport, history, and the past. Although they have operated as essentially separate spheres one important aspect of convergence between them is seen in the rise and popularity of sports museums, the collecting of sporting art and memorabilia, and popular concern over the demise of historic sports buildings and places.
Interest and activity in these areas is now evident within both academic circles and among the wider public, mirroring developments in Europe and North America. There is, however, a perceived need among many practitioners in the heritage and museums sectors for a forum of debate on philosophical and methodological ways forward. To put it bluntly: what is sports heritage, and where is it going?
The unease implied in these questions betrays a sense of sports heritage being 'betwixt and between', without an academic 'home' and therefore without a clear academic trajectory. From this a number of further research questions follow. Where does sports heritage differ, if at all, from the history of sport? How far do practical considerations (e.g. finance, acquisitions, preservation, public taste) affect current philosophies and policies? To what extent can the intangible (e.g. a sense of place and identity) be incorporated alongside the material culture of sport? What are the choices in protecting and celebrating historic places, as against virtual representations; and what might be the implications for historians? What understandings of history underpin sports heritage? How do museum and heritage site visitors react to representations of sport, and how is feedback responded to?
At present there exists no main forum in which such issues, and others, might be considered by the range of different disciplines and interests to be found in this field. The national body for the study of sports history (the British Society of Sports History) has shown little interest in approaching these matters, whilst the research embarked upon in the heritage sector has been limited. Moreover, while there have been several initiatives in higher education, usually at the postgraduate level, in heritage studies, they have focused their concerns chiefly on more traditional topics;
little has been attempted on sport. The present proposal has therefore been designed to provide an academic focus in an area where one has previously been either un- coordinated, or absent, and in an area where commercial and institutional
developments have run ahead of academic debate.
The growth of interest in both sport and heritage over recent years has been significant. Ideologically they convey powerful messages, responsible for shaping our understanding of sport, history, and the past. Although they have operated as essentially separate spheres one important aspect of convergence between them is seen in the rise and popularity of sports museums, the collecting of sporting art and memorabilia, and popular concern over the demise of historic sports buildings and places.
Interest and activity in these areas is now evident within both academic circles and among the wider public, mirroring developments in Europe and North America. There is, however, a perceived need among many practitioners in the heritage and museums sectors for a forum of debate on philosophical and methodological ways forward. To put it bluntly: what is sports heritage, and where is it going?
The unease implied in these questions betrays a sense of sports heritage being 'betwixt and between', without an academic 'home' and therefore without a clear academic trajectory. From this a number of further research questions follow. Where does sports heritage differ, if at all, from the history of sport? How far do practical considerations (e.g. finance, acquisitions, preservation, public taste) affect current philosophies and policies? To what extent can the intangible (e.g. a sense of place and identity) be incorporated alongside the material culture of sport? What are the choices in protecting and celebrating historic places, as against virtual representations; and what might be the implications for historians? What understandings of history underpin sports heritage? How do museum and heritage site visitors react to representations of sport, and how is feedback responded to?
At present there exists no main forum in which such issues, and others, might be considered by the range of different disciplines and interests to be found in this field. The national body for the study of sports history (the British Society of Sports History) has shown little interest in approaching these matters, whilst the research embarked upon in the heritage sector has been limited. Moreover, while there have been several initiatives in higher education, usually at the postgraduate level, in heritage studies, they have focused their concerns chiefly on more traditional topics;
little has been attempted on sport. The present proposal has therefore been designed to provide an academic focus in an area where one has previously been either un- coordinated, or absent, and in an area where commercial and institutional
developments have run ahead of academic debate.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Jeff Hill (Principal Investigator) |