Challenge and relief : a Foucauldian disciplinary analysis of retirement from professional association football in the United Kingdom

Denison, Jim.; Jones, Luke.

doi:10.1177/1012690215625348

Authors

Dr Luke Jones Jonzon L.K.Jones@hull.ac.uk
Lecturer in Sports Coaching/ Collaborative provision - academic contact for local partner colleges

Jim Denison

Abstract

The aim of this study was to consider the retirement experiences of British male professional Association footballers by utilising Foucault’s (1991) analysis of discipline discussed in Discipline and Punish: the Birth of the Prison. Specifically, we drew upon Foucault to consider how, through the various techniques and instruments of discipline, the professional football context produces ‘docile footballing bodies’ and how this might influence a player’s experiences in retirement. We gathered our empirical material using a Foucauldian-informed interview framework (Avner et al., 2013) with 25 former professional male football players between the ages of 21-34. Our analysis suggested that retirement from football was both a challenge and a relief for our participants, and that their extended period of time within football’s strong disciplinary apparatus significantly influenced how they experienced their retirement.

Publication Date	2017-12
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	8
Pages	924-939
Institution Citation	Jones, L., & Denison, J. (2017). Challenge and relief : a Foucauldian disciplinary analysis of retirement from professional association football in the United Kingdom. International Review for the Sociology of Sport, 52(8), 924-939. https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215625348
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215625348
Keywords	Discipline; Docility; Football; Foucault; Sport retirement
Publisher URL	http://irs.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/01/14/1012690215625348.abstract
Copyright Statement	©2016 University of Hull
Additional Information	This is the author's accepted manuscript of an article which has been accepted for future publication in: International review for the sociology of sport.