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Governance in sport-for-development: Problems and possibilities of (not) learning from international development

Lindsey, I.

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Abstract

The lack of attention towards issues of governance in both global sport-for-development (SfD) policy and academic literature is placed in stark relief when compared to the significance accorded to such issues in international development. This article addresses this lacuna in sport-for-development by drawing on international development literature as well as interview data from representatives of international agencies, domestic governments and in-country non-governmental organisations involved with sport-for-development in Ghana and Tanzania. As previously recognised in other development sectors, the commonality of narrow, project-based approaches in sport-for-development contributes to excessive donor influence, fragmentation, competition and limits both impact and sustainability. It was in response to similar problems that, from the mid-1990s, Sector Wide Approaches were instigated within specific sectors in particular countries as a more systematic model of development governance based on leadership by the domestic government and co-ordination among donors and other stakeholders. Although interviewees’ perspectives and some exemplar sport-for-development initiatives aligned with key features of Sector Wide Approaches, significant challenges to their effective instigation in sport-for-development can be identified. Nevertheless, examining the applicability of Sector Wide Approaches to sport-for-development raises important issues that require further consideration and demonstrates the necessity that sport-for-development, more generally, learns from the longer-established field of international development.

Citation

Lindsey, I. (2017). Governance in sport-for-development: Problems and possibilities of (not) learning from international development. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 52(7), 801-818. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215623460

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Dec 1, 2015
Online Publication Date Jan 6, 2016
Publication Date Nov 1, 2017
Deposit Date Dec 1, 2015
Publicly Available Date Dec 7, 2015
Journal International Review for the Sociology of Sport
Print ISSN 1012-6902
Electronic ISSN 1461-7218
Publisher SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 52
Issue 7
Pages 801-818
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215623460
Keywords Global South, Partnership, Project-based aid, Sector-wide approaches, Sustainable development.
Public URL https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1425630

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Copyright Statement
Lindsey, I. (2017) 'Governance in sport-for-development : problems and possibilities of (not) learning from international development.', International review for the sociology of sport., 52 (7). pp. 801-818. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.





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