Eric Dunning’s Legacy to Sociology of Sport

Abstract

Sport, long neglected within classical sociology, became a central field of sociological inquiry through Eric Dunning's application of figurational sociology to the study of sport. This study aims to reassess Dunning's theoretical and methodological legacy within the framework of figurational sociology, to examine his conceptual framework systematically through three analytical dimensions, and to reinterpret its relevance for contemporary sociology of sport. The study was designed as a qualitative theoretical inquiry based on an interpretive epistemological perspective and employs document analysis as its primary research method. Dunning's major works were analysed through three interconnected analytical dimensions: the political regulation of violence, affective regimes, and gendered spaces. The findings demonstrate that sport should be understood not merely as a competitive or recreational activity but as a complex social figuration in which violence is institutionally regulated, emotions are socially organized, and gender relations are continuously reproduced. The study further offers a critical discussion of the explanatory capacity of Dunning's theoretical framework in relation to contemporary developments, including digitalization, securitization, and changing gender regimes. It concludes that Dunning's theoretical legacy continues to provide a robust analytical framework for the sociology of sport, while requiring reinterpretation in response to contemporary social transformations.

Keywords

• : Eric Dunning
• Sociology of Sport
• Figurational Sociology
• Civilizing Process

Eric Dunning’in Spor Sosyolojisine Katkıları

Abstract

Klasik sosyoloji geleneğinde uzun süre ihmal edilen spor, Eric Dunning'in figürasyonel sosyoloji yaklaşımıyla birlikte toplumsal ilişkilerin, güç dengelerinin ve uygarlık sürecinin analizinde merkezi bir araştırma alanı hâline gelmiştir. Bu çalışma, Eric Dunning'in spor sosyolojisine kazandırdığı kuramsal ve metodolojik mirası figürasyonel sosyoloji perspektifi çerçevesinde yeniden değerlendirmeyi, kuramsal mirasını üç analitik eksen temelinde sistematik biçimde incelemeyi ve güncel spor sosyolojisi açısından yeniden yorumlamayı amaçlamaktadır. Araştırma, yorumlayıcı epistemolojiye dayalı nitel bir kuramsal inceleme olarak tasarlanmış ve doküman analizi yöntemiyle yürütülmüştür. Analiz sürecinde Dunning'in temel eserleri incelenmiş şiddetin siyasal yönetimi, duygulanım rejimleri ve cinsiyetlenmiş mekânlar olmak üzere üç analitik eksen çerçevesinde değerlendirilmiştir. Bulgular, sporun yalnızca rekabet ve boş zaman etkinliği olarak değil şiddetin kurumsal olarak düzenlendiği, duyguların toplumsal olarak yönlendirildiği ve toplumsal cinsiyet ilişkilerinin yeniden üretildiği çok katmanlı bir figürasyon olarak ele alınması gerektiğini göstermektedir. Ayrıca çalışma, Dunning'in kuramsal yaklaşımının dijitalleşme, güvenlikleşme ve değişen toplumsal cinsiyet rejimleri bağlamındaki açıklayıcılığını eleştirel bir bakışla tartışmaktadır. Sonuç olarak çalışma, Dunning'in kuramsal mirasının güncel spor sosyolojisi tartışmaları açısından hâlen güçlü bir analitik çerçeve sunduğunu, ancak çağdaş toplumsal dönüşümler doğrultusunda yeniden yorumlanması gerektiğini ortaya koymaktadır.

Keywords

• Eric Dunning
• Spor Sosyolojisi
• Figürasyonel Sosyoloji
• Uygarlık Süreci

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