ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the breadth of sociological theory and research on sport and violence, and discusses competing definitions and interpretations of what violence is and how it relates to sport in all its forms. It examines how different sociological approaches understand and explain sports violence, and explores some of the similarities and differences between them. The chapter discusses figurational sociology, collective behaviour, microsociological and masculinity theories. It focuses on emerging issues in the sociology of sports violence, with a particular focus on animal violence in sport and presents issues for future sociological investigation. Sociological approaches draw attention to the social conditions and social dynamics that enable, cause or impede sports violence. Several sociologists argue that the association between violence and the production and performance of masculinity is key to understanding sports violence as it occurs within the competitive arena as well as in broader social relations.
