Overview

Head in the game brings together international scholars from multiple humanities, social science, and scientific disciplines to critically examine one of the most vexing issues in global sport: concussion. It argues that science and medicine alone cannot solve the concussion crisis: sociocultural factors must also be considered. This edited collection draws attention to the ways that social, cultural, historical, political, literary, philosophical, and legal factors have shaped the concussion crisis in sport. Head in the game is essential reading for those who want to understand how the concussion crisis came to be, and provides guidance for developing ethical and evidence-based solutions in the future.

Full Product Details

Author:   Stephen Townsend ,  Murray G. Phillips ,  Gary Osmond ,  Rebecca Olive
Publisher:   Manchester University Press
Imprint:   Manchester University Press
Dimensions:   Width: 15.60cm , Height: 1.90cm , Length: 23.40cm
Weight:   0.629kg
ISBN:  

9781526176943

ISBN 10:   1526176947
Pages:   322
Publication Date:   24 June 2025
Audience:   College/higher education ,  Professional and scholarly ,  General/trade ,  Tertiary & Higher Education ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Hardback
Publisher's Status:   Forthcoming
Availability:   Not yet available, will be POD  
This item is yet to be released. You can pre-order this item and we will dispatch it to you upon it's release. This is a print on demand item which is still yet to be released.

Table of Contents

Introduction: (Re)Setting the field: Understanding brain trauma in sport - Stephen Townsend, Gary Osmond, Murray G. Phillips & Rebecca Olive Part I Cultivating brain trauma in sport 1 Chronic Traumatic Masculinity: A disorder in Canadian men’s hockey - Andrew Ivan Brown and Aryn Martin 2 “I guess that’s why you wear a helmet”: A social understanding of concussions in competitive women’s road cycling - Suzanne Ryder 3 Concussion in action sports - Nikolaus A. Dean 4 Indigenous sport concussion: Death, morality and Maori masculinity - Brendan Hokowhitu 5 Concussion and East Asian sporting culture - Tao Yi-Che Part II Knowing brain trauma in sport 6 The social construction of sport-related concussion as a social issue- Dominic Malcolm 7 Mixed feelings: Understanding emotion in media coverage of sport-related traumatic brain injuries - Matt Ventresca 8 Sports-related concussion and gender: Preliminary thoughts - Matthew Nesbitt, Katie Liston & Conor Heffernan 9 The animal within: The ethics and epistemics of bio-inspired solutions to sport’s concussion crisis - Greg Hollin, Nicole L. Ackermans & James Smoliga 10 Reading the silences: History, concussion and Australian sport - Murray G. Phillips & Stephen Townsend Part III Resisting brain trauma in sport 11 Is concussion bad for the social good?: Framing public health problems across two crises in US American football - Emily A. Harrison & Kathleen Bachynski 12 Brain games on trial in American courts: Cold War to present - Stephen T. Casper 13 From league of denial to league of deferment: The NFL’s evolving management of the concussion crisis - Brett Siegel 14 Casting the safety net wider – using systems thinking to guide concussion management in high school level rugby union - Marelise Badenhorst & Simon Walters Conclusion: Flagging the future: What will brain injury mean for sport? - Stephen Townsend, Murray G. Phillips, Gary Osmond and Rebecca Olive -- .

Reviews

'Head in the game provides illuminating insights that could come only from a diverse group of experts. Each chapter offers a nuanced analysis of oft-overlooked dimensions of sports concussion. Timely and important, this book is essential reading for anyone who wants to understand the cultural and social dynamics contributing to a health issue that is increasingly framed as a crisis in sport.' Kathryn Henne, The Australian National University 'This essential collection harnesses expert insights to tackle one of sport’s most pressing challenges. Each chapter reveals far-reaching impacts of concussion, extending beyond sport itself, emphasising the need for collaborative engagement and cross-disciplinary collaboration among stakeholders. The editors have delivered a compelling collection that advances our understanding of this critical issue.' Annette Greenhow, Faculty of Law, Bond University -- .

Author Information

Stephen Townsend is a Research Fellow in Sport Sociocultural Studies at The University of Queensland. Murray G. Phillips is a Professor of Sport History at The University of Queensland. Gary Osmond is an Associate Professor of Sport History at The University of Queensland. Rebecca Olive is a Vice Chancellor's Senior Research Fellow at RMIT University.

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