June 11 - 12, 2026

Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Lillehammer Campus
Lillehammer, Norway

Description

Welcome to the microsite for the Seventeenth International Conference on Sport & Society. 

Founded in 2010, the Sport & Society Research Network is brought together around a common interest in cultural, political, and economic relationships of sport to society. We seek to build an epistemic community where we can make linkages across disciplinary, geographic, and cultural boundaries. As a Research Network, we are defined by our scope and concerns and motivated to build strategies for action framed by our shared themes and tensions. You can become a participant by submitting a presentation to our annual conference, a research article to one of our journals, or a book proposal to our imprint.

The Seventeenth International Conference on Sport & Society calls for research addressing the following annual themes and special focus: 

• 2026 Special Focus—Innovation, Transformation, Contestation: Can Sport Keep Up with Society’s Future?
• Theme 1: Sporting Cultures and Identities 
• Theme 2: Sport and Health
• Theme 3: Sports Education
• Theme 4: Sports Management and Commercialization 

We are interested in the following lines of investigation:

• On sport’s motivations, meanings, and purposes. Includes the psychology of sport and the interplay between individual identities and access, equity, and participation in sports. Examines the social and sociological aspects of sport, the impact of cultural traditions and cultural differences on how sports are played or viewed, and the influence of sports on national, ethnic, or community identity.
• On the relationship of sports participation to physical, mental, or emotional health and wellbeing. Includes the study of health, nutrition, exercise science, sports medicine, and biomechanics. Examines the relationships between health/physical fitness and other aspects of life (cognitive abilities, work performance, social interactions).
• On learning about and through sport. Includes physical and health education in schools and communities, teaching, and coaching techniques. Examines how sports programs in schools and communities promote learning, tolerance, social cohesion, and community development.
• On sports organizations, leadership, and management. Considers sports and sporting events as commercial activities. Explores the impact of sports and sporting events on communities, nations, international relations. Includes sports as a profession and the roles of professionals (athletes, coaches, media and marketing professionals) within it. Examines policies, rules and regulations, and laws related to governance and participation.

We are also interested in the following questions:

• How do we negotiate game logic?
• How do we understand the body?
• How does sport shape aesthetics?
• How is sport organized?

Sport & Society Research Network also supports a book imprint and a collection of journals.