ABSTRACT
This chapter provides the influence of class and class consciousness on people's lives and in the delivery of sport. It provides an overview of key terms, including socioeconomic status (SES) and social class. The chapter examines the effects of classism on people's health and well-being, and focuses on the influence of sport participation on people's social mobility. Unlike SES, social class is more overtly political in nature, draws attention to differences in power, and focuses on the socially constructed nature of social standing, including the treatment of persons from various classes. Classism results from three interrelated distancing responses: cognitive distancing, interpersonal distancing, and institutional distancing. Meritocracy refers to the worldview that a person's social standing and the rewards each person receives are based on individual effort and merit. Institutional distancing is also manifested through health care. Within sport, a number of institutionalized activities serve to reinforce classism.
