A discourse analysis of the National Sport and Recreation Policy for Botswana

If sport's the solution then what's the problem? The social significance of sport in the moral governing of ‘good’ and ‘healthy’ citizens in Sweden, 1922–1998

“…This kind of research particularly acknowledges that ideas about policy objectives and 'good' public outcomes are social, cultural and historical products in themselves, which limit as well as make possible what can be thought of and how, and consequently how interventions will be designed. Shehu and Mokgwathi (2007) show for example how policy discourse in Botswana construct sport, recreation, lifestyle and citizenship based on Western values of neo-liberal development where sport is seen as the main modernizing force for solving problems in developing countries. Their study contributes to an understanding of how policy discourse conflates mass participation, 'sport for all', and recreational activities with competitive forms of (elite) sport, tied to a modern (and western) sport system.…”

“…At the same time it is argued by these authors that the correlation between sport and various social benefits is complex and not to be taken for granted. One critique, posed by scholars such as Coalter (2007) and Green (2007) in the UK, and Shehu and Mokgwathi (2007) in Botswana, of the positive social benefits and claims stated in sport policy is the way they are associated with neo-liberal arts of government and the creation of 'active citizens'. That is, it is argued that wider social and cultural aspects of 'problems' are ignored, and instead, sport is ascribed the capacity to develop desired attributes of individualism, accountability and personal responsibility as 'solutions'.…”

“…That is, it is argued that wider social and cultural aspects of 'problems' are ignored, and instead, sport is ascribed the capacity to develop desired attributes of individualism, accountability and personal responsibility as 'solutions'. Sport scholars that make use of Foucauldian and poststructural approaches demonstrate how sport policies, programmes and practices are historically and culturally specific and discursively constructed, often based on stereotypical and taken for granted ideas about various 'problems' that sport is assumed to 'solve' (Shehu & Mokgwathi, 2007;Svender, Larsson & Redelius, 2012). This kind of research particularly acknowledges that ideas about policy objectives and 'good' public outcomes are social, cultural and historical products in themselves, which limit as well as make possible what can be thought of and how, and consequently how interventions will be designed.…”

Challenges and constraints in developing and implementing sports policy and provision in Antigua and Barbuda: which way now for a small island state?

“…Here we have attempted to allow the 'voices' of those local populations, policy makers, coaches and volunteers to be heard within our study as opposed to imposing a westernised, false dichotomy of choices (Shehu and Mokgwathi 2007). But, an ability to open up such research in small, developing nations and allowing them to be 'heard' can be seen in the honest account from a sport policy research blog account by Lindsay (2012):…”

“…However, part of the challenge of the small nation context of this paper is the incomplete policy infrastructure, limited problem definition, often hidden instruments and vague notions of targeting through policy. We are also sensitive to not enact westernised false dichotomy of choices on the study of policy in such settings (Shehu and Mokgwathi 2007). However, this literature provides a wider conceptual context to this research paper as the focus for this study of a small nation is sport policy agenda setting, policy development constraints, challenges and emergent issues in implementation.…”