Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

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

Jones, Luke; Denison, Jim

Authors

Luke Jones

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.

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

Acceptance Date Feb 1, 2015
Online Publication Date Jan 15, 2016
Publication Date 2017-12
Deposit Date Feb 22, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
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
DOI https://doi.org/10.1177/1012690215625348
Keywords Discipline; Docility; Football; Foucault; Sport retirement
Public URL https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/411098
Publisher URL http://irs.sagepub.com/content/early/2016/01/14/1012690215625348.abstract
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.

Files





You might also like



Downloadable Citations