Sport in Society

Feminist approaches to sport in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand

This special issue brings together feminist sport researchers working in Australia and Aotearoa/New Zealand to showcase the context, tensions, and opportunities of place-based feminist sports scholarship in the region. Though much of the literature on feminist approaches to sport is situated in North American and European contexts, considering sport and feminism “down under” advances understanding of how feminist approaches to sport are impacted by contextual differences (e.g., geographic location; government interventions; climate) and similarities (settler colonialism; global climate crisis; patriarchy; capitalism).

We invite work exploring: i) how Australian and Aotearoan researchers are doing feminist work differently, and the resulting theoretical or methodological innovations; ii) how feminist analysis of local sporting contexts can result in new perspectives; iii) empirical research findings.

Though we consider 'feminism' and 'feminist approaches' expansively, submitted work must do more than merely consider gender; it must approach gendered inequalities critically. We encourage intersectional work considering race, class, disability, transphobia, homophobia, cissexism, and more.

We invite submissions that adhere to the following requirements:

• All submissions must: i) use feminist research approaches (broadly considered); ii) derive from the Australian or Aotearoan context (empirically or through theoretical/methodological approaches influenced by geographic context); iii) meet journal guidelines.

Submissions are welcome to consider the following subjects:

• Feminist methodological and theoretical innovations
• The impact of government investment in sport for elite and amateur athletes, and changes in governmental support
• The significance of local and community sports clubs and organisations
• Professional and elite women's sport
• Traditional sport media, social media, and social media communities
• The impact of mega sport events (the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup held in Australian and New Zealand; Australia's hosting of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics; etc.)
• The ongoing impacts of colonialism and prevalence of racism within women’s sport
• Australia and Aotearoa's place in international and trans-national feminist sport work
• Many, many more!